Sekirei Vampire
by PaleRider365
Summary: For him, it was a realization that the Ghoul couldn't control his life unless he allowed it to. When the Exorcist declares him unfit to return to the academy because of his weakness, he is sent on a vacation to clear his mind and relax with his cousin, maybe even make friends. He never knew that leaving would get him in a dangerous game filled with madness. Moka won't be amused.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Do not own R+V or Sekirei**

**AN: New Story got real bored. Everything has slow updates for long ass chapters like this one. Those who complain about me making a new story. If i don't write, i tend to forget about ideas so...**

**AN2: Takes place before season 2 of R+V Manga, and on the first episode of Sekirei Anime/Manga. This story is a challenge issued to me by a certain fanfiction author who will remain anonymous because she requested it to be so. Can't really blame her, the anime and manga for Sekirei is kind of ecchi and perverted at times, but still a very good. Each chapter will be an episode of the anime unless I mix things up a bit. For starters, this chapter will be episode one with a mix of the beginnings of episode 2.**

**Challenge Rules: 1. Tsukune must have at least three Sekirei. 2. Tsukune and Minato must be related. 3. Tsukune must receive access to his vampire powers.4. Tsukune must be badass like in the manga. 5. Minaka needs to have a fascination with Tsukune's power.6. Tsukune must claim the South, North, East, or West as his domain. **

**7. Tsukune must return to the academy during the Sekirei plan. 8( Optional: Minato is turned into a ghoul by Tsukune,)**

**Challenge Accepted**

**Chapter 1**

**Sekirei + Vampire**

Aono Tsukune would be the first to admit that he wasn't the strongest being out there, or even coming close to even second place in that matter. He would be the first to admit internally, never externally, that he was weaker than most people and needed to be protected; no matter how much it caused him pain being utterly useless. It did murder to his ever growing pride every time one of the girls in his supposed harem saved him from harm as if he was some child in need of protection from the world around him. To be blunt, he was boiling with envy of his most precious people's powers and abilities. Moka, the sweet and beautiful vampire who held a dark side and the power to back up the darkness within her, Kurumu, the short and buxom succubus whose power over men swayed them to her side, Mizore, the snowwomen who could freeze everyone that opposed her, and Yukari, a child of all things, held the abilities of magic to keep her and her friends safe. And what did Tsukune have? Nothing but the weakness of a human body and the soul of a monster, a** true monster**, locked away in the holy lock on his wrist.

His friends were powerful in their own right, above the notches that others declared as A-class and S-class super monsters. To make matters worse, these goddesses among mortals had the gall to declare their love for him, a foolish human who didn't have the strength to protect anyone, let alone himself. He had seen the other males at the academy's infatuation with his harem, and it was common knowledge that they hated him for it. To them, he was the powerful monster that defeated the leader of the Public Safety Commission and Anti-Thesis. He would've scoffed at the mere thought of his involvement in the demise of both organizations. Oh, he trained, he fought, he did everything in his power to help, but he could tell he was nothing but a hindrance to the girls, even if they would tell him opposite. They loved and protected him, risking life and limb every day for him. He was pathetic. What could he possibly offer any of these goddesses as repayment for their blessings upon him? Nothing because that was exactly what he was. Nothing but an average, worthless human who foolishly stayed at a school too dangerous for him because he fell in love with a vampire. It was times like these that he hated his humanity with a passion.

He had nothing to offer. He did not deserve their love and affection. After all, he was only human and humans didn't deserve such bountiful gifts.

As he lay in his futon that he had commandeered for the night in Japan's newest capital, he had never regretted ever staying at Yokai Academy so much in his attendance there. He was humble in his own right and the girls didn't deserve a humble man, they deserved a god among men. He knew his time was limited every time he took a glance at the golden holy lock wrapped around his wrist. Things had never gone smoothly and the golden ornament was a reminder of how much of a failure he was, of what exactly swam in his bloodstream. It was always hard contemplating his own demise, but the more he did it, the easier it would be. Someday, he would lose control and be done in. It could be the headmaster, Moka, or even some random punk who got lucky and saved everyone. He couldn't allow everyone else to suffer for his mistakes. Someday, he'd finally change. The lock was only delaying the inevitable, unless the chairman found a cure to his insanity.

He was confronted with pain far beyond his wildest imaginations. The mere train of thought that one day, he might end up murdering his friends because of the monster within was simply too much to bear. He would never regret making friends with his precious people, but he regretted the pain he was putting them through each and every day. More than once did he think about simply ending it all to save everyone and prevent the deaths of those unlucky enough to cross his path while he wasn't in control. Wouldn't it be easier to simply kill the ghoul before it awoke? Not surprisingly, it was that train of thought that somehow ended up with him going back to the academy much earlier than he should have, nearly four weeks in advance to be precise. Ruby wasn't at the academy. She was apparently on an errand for the chairman. He placed his hand over the area where the dark phantom marks of corruption would spread across his body in his monster form. Even now, he could feel the dark taint even though he hadn't transformed; a testament to how far he had fallen.

Entire hallways covered the vastness of the academy, giving the illusion of a never ending maze to anyone who didn't hold the prowess of a monster. Where he was heading was the chairman's office, the sole residence of the great and feared Exorcist, Mikogami Tenmei. Every conceivable sealing art imaginable was being studied in that very room, arts that not even the likes of the chairman would ever understand. Someone was in the office, Tsukune could feel it. Ever since his first transformation into his temporary vampire state, he could feel the energies within everyone as long as he was near them. While it was nowhere near as reliable as Moka's gift, which could sense other monsters for miles out, it was good enough for a human like him to sense danger and react to it.

As he stood in front of the door, for the first time in his life, he didn't feel the existence of fear within his heart. His muscles were relaxed and didn't strain in shock at the surrounding dark energy that swelled from the other side of the door. The power overshadowed him and stomped out the fear within him, forcing him to relax and banish any doubts in his mind. With his doubt gone and his mind cleared, he slowly raised his hand to knock on the wooden doors.

"Aono-kun, please come in."

He pushed the door open without any hesitation. It wasn't as if the chairman would harm him. He had promised to help him with the holy lock, so maybe this was some sort of examination to see if it was still functioning correctly. Taking a deep breath, he stepped inside.

The Chairman was an imposing figure for someone who ran a high school, monsters or no. He appeared to be an ordinary man of average height with holy priest robes adorning his body. But Tsukune knew the truth. This man was far from a holy father one would assume with the churches of Christian faith or the priests of Shinto shrines. Underneath that holy exterior, was most likely a monster that could bat aside even Moka if his handling of Tsukune a few weeks earlier was any proof. It was no wonder that the human turned ghoul felt like a gnat compared to man's power.

"Chairman-sama, I've come as you requested of me." he said respectfully.

The eyes of the Exorcist glowed with something akin to curiosity as they scrutinized the obviously confused boy sitting in front of him.

"It has come to my attention that you've been considering erasing your own life these past several weeks. Seldom do I ever choose to invade the privacy of one my students, but if you do not begin to explain why such thoughts have been occurring, I may be convinced to take drastic action." His glowing eyes narrowed and the human could only look on in shock.

The revelation hung in the air. Such secrets simply couldn't be found on their own. Tsukune had never told anyone that he felt this way, and the fact that the chairman knew had implications that the young man didn't even want to think about. He bowed his head in shame; he couldn't control how he felt.

The Exorcist's golden eyes didn't soften, only lessened to a degree." You may be wondering how I came about such information, no?" the brunette nodded. The chairman said nothing, merely waving his hand to reveal a holy lock identical to the one of Tsukune's wrist." This, Tsukune-kun, is not a holy lock like the one on your wrist. This is something akin to a medium between you and I. It created a connection between us so I may track you should you find yourself lost, or it can reveal to me your emotions and a little inkling into your thoughts if I find you in a worrying state. So far, your thoughts have disturbed me."

"I-I have no excuses for my thoughts, Chairman-sama. It's just with my current _condition_; I can't help but feel…" The brunette trailed off miserably.

"You can't help but fear that one day, you'll kill your friends due to your lack of control?" the chairman finished. The boy nodded helplessly. The man sighed, idly fingering one of the many rosaries on his robes." While your fears are not unfounded, it does not excuse the fact that you had plans to kill yourself."

Tsukune stood up without warning." If I'm dead, there isn't a chance of me hurting them!" he bellowed, his eyes flashing red, and for a second, the chairman glanced at the holy lock. None of the links had broken it seemed." The longer I live, the more of a danger I am to them." He sat back down, face in hand.

The chairman gave him a hard look." Perhaps I was wrong in choosing you then. I did not expect a weakling to ever grace the halls of my academy."

The brunette's head shot up." Choose me for what?"

"It does not matter because clearly, you are not the one who will bring that plan to success. However, since you were a participant, I believe you now deserve to know." The chairman leaned back into his seat, his hands crossed over the desk with a stern expression on his face." A long time ago, a dear friend of mine wished for coexistence between human, and monster. She spent the entirety of her life; desperately trying to keeps the stability between the races, even encouraging breeding between both to create bonds. I created this school in attempt to aid her plan and teach monsters about the human world."

Tsukune glared." Well you haven't done a very good job of it." The chairman gave him a surprised look and Tsukune covered his mouth in horror." Forgive me, chairman-sama. My emotions have been running wild lately and I can't…"

"All is forgiven." The chairman waved away his apologies." With your condition, it is understandable. Miss Akashyia was correct in stating that you would be better off in the human world in your current state. The surrounding Yokai energies are doing damage to you. Had I left you in the human world long enough, your core would've stabilized and your emotions would improve slightly enough that there would be no cause for concern." He looked rather pointedly at the holy lock." As I was saying, my friend's wish was for peace. However, she died before such an event could be realized. To honor her dream, I would take a human from the human world and place him or her in the school in the hopes that they would stay and make friends. If the human could toss away their prejudice against monsters, then his friends could do the same for humans. So far, I've had three subjects. One died in the process, the other lost himself in fear, and there was you… the one who I believed could do what the others could not."

Tsukune's eyes widened." The girls…"

"Yes, the girls." The chairman nodded. He tossed a small file on the desk, five pictures scattering across it." You have done what my other test subjects couldn't. You brought unity among the most unlikely of monsters. For a while, I believed you would be the one that could fulfill my friend's dream. But if you can't handle the monster within, then you will fail like the rest."

The young man could only stare in despair." I-I don't know anymore… Moka said that no one ever recovered from turning into a ghoul." The headmaster nodded in agreement and stood up from his chair before walking to Tsukune's side. He grasped the man's wrist and thumbed the holy lock carefully.

His lips curled into a small smile." If it will do better to comfort the turmoil within you, you are not the kind of ghoul you think you are."

Brown eyes widened." W-what, what are you talking about?"

"It seems some education is in order. Traditionally, a ghoul is a walking corpse. They are nothing more than a mindless zombie with a desire for flesh and blood. Your transformation was not a regular ghoul. You are a human who failed to become a vampire." A choked gasp emanated from the student and the headmaster continued." The vampire blood within you belongs to a warlike race and therefore stirred the creature of war within you. I wasn't going to tell you this before, but I believe I must do so now. As long as you can keep the holy lock intact, there may be a time where you won't need it anymore and the madness within your mind will cease to exist."

"Then there is hope for me?" Tsukune asked hesitantly, almost not believing the other man's words." But what about when we're in trouble or attacked? You said I might use the ghoul's power again if my emotions go unchecked and break the links."

The chairman nodded." I did say that. Your human body isn't adapted enough to Yokai to use it safely without repercussions. I do have a solution to your problem." He removed from his desk, a long and slender box that was neatly decorated in gold and mahogany. He popped the lid off, revealing a brown and eerie looking whip.

Tsukune blinked." Eh?" the chairman couldn't possibly be into those kinds of things could he? Oh man, not another Ruby… the chairman cleared his throat and Tsukune scratched the back of his head sheepishly." Sorry, chairman-sama."

The headmaster chuckled." I'm more than aware of my assistants... preferences. She was the one that was originally supposed to help you with this, but I guess it can't be helped. This whip is called Belmont and it can cancel the part of the holy lock that blocks you from the ghoul's power, all the while keeping its presence away from your mind."

"Wow! That's great! That means I can help Moka –"

"– Mr. Aono," the chairman interrupted smoothly." I know you can imagine that such a thing will be difficult to be kept hidden at this school?" at his nod, he proceeded." Before you can truly tap into the power gifted to you without harming your friends, your mental state will need to be relaxed. I've already called your mother –"

Tsukune stood up abruptly." What! Why? What I do?"

**"Please don't interrupt me again."** Tsukune paled and nodded quickly. The chairman looked pleased." As I was saying, I've called your mother to let her know you won't be coming back home for some time and will be taking a vacation of sorts for some advanced teaching. In reality, you will be relaxing in the human world until I deem you safe enough to return. Am I correct in assuming that you have a cousin in the newly named Shinto Teito?"

Tsukune nodded." I'm not going to ask you how you know about that, but what does my cousin, Minato have to do with this?"

"I thought it better if you spent some time in the human world with someone you knew instead of a stranger. Your cousin has agreed to take you in for some time while he is studying for his college exams. Now Mr. Aono, this is not to be something difficult. I have given you a card you may use to fund your vacation since I am the one who is forcing you on it. I want you to relax on your extended break to calm the ghoul within you. As long as you have Belmont, you can tap into the power should the need ever arise, however unlikely it may seem."

Tsukune's grateful smile grew wider." I don't know what to say… thank you, chairman-sama. I'll do my best to make you proud and fulfill your dream. Is it safe to assume you somehow packed all of my things and the bus driver is waiting for me?"

The chairman smirked." Smart child, yes you may assume so. However, you may not assume that you don't have any schoolwork that needs to be done on this vacation. I expect all missing work to be mailed directly back to the academy, via post or email. All assignments will be sent to your cellphone." Tsukune groaned but nodded his consent and made to leave before the man stopped him once more." Here, take this." The chairman tossed a rather worn book lightly into the boy's arms." With Belmont, you may be able to use some techniques only available to vampires. I suggest trying some during your extended vacation."

Tsukune gave the book an incredulous look before smiling at the man who might have well saved his life. He bowed lowly." Thank you, chairman-sama! Good bye!"

The chairman waited before the boy left before he began to cackle." Foolish boy," he shook his head, a smirk planted on his lips." Such things don't come without a price. I wonder what you will do now that you've gone ahead and got yourself unknowingly involved in a mad man's game. Perhaps I should have told you about the S- Plan… no of course not. **This is much more amusing."**

XxXxXxX

Life was finally beginning to change for him in a positive way.

It seemed like minutes ago that the chairman called for his immediate departure into the human world. In reality, that event happened over two hours ago. He had returned home for several minutes to give some last minute goodbyes to his near hysterical mother and outrageously clingy cousin.

He felt almost nervous, returning to the human world on his own. He wasn't as comfortable as he should have been. The bus driver gave him a grin and the irony wasn't lost on the human. Here he was, a human child who was a far more comfortable in the monster world than in his own. The explanation was easy enough. The monster world was a part of him now. He glanced down at the holy lock; it was part of him, **permanently**.

While his conscious mind drifted on to monster caged within the depths of his mind, his hands brushed the famed whip, Belmont. He raised an eyebrow. He could have sworn he'd played a game that had the same exact whip in it…. He shook his head, it didn't matter. Now wasn't the time to be thinking about a video game. His hand grasped the hilt. The reaction was subtle, barely noticeable for one who had never experienced the change before. Tsukune on the other hand had felt the change numerous times in his high school career. Brown eyes were a blood scarlet and his brown hair lightened several shades.

It was a strange sensation. The feeling of hellish power flowing through his body empowered him in a way. He felt far more energized than he had ever been before. He grimaced, there was always a price for power, and the price for this one in particular was on his neck, even if it wasn't entirely visible. He could feel the corruption pulsing from where Moka had bitten him last. It wasn't entirely uncomfortable, but it wasn't welcome. It served as a reminder of what would happen should he lose Belmont in the future.

The powers faded the minute Belmont fell from his grasp and into his backpack. He turned his attention to the window, gazing deeply to the outside world not contained in a yellow bus. Shinto Teito was the newest addition to Japan, and one Tsukune held no knowledge about. They had completely changed the layout from modern day Tokyo, and he for the life of him, couldn't figure out where anything was. He thumbed the brochure from his pack with some interest. Apparently the whole of Tokyo was bought out by MBI, or Mid Bio Informatics. It was from his current knowledge, a pharmaceutical company that rose to power through advanced technologies and a lot of money. He snorted in amusement, the owner; Minaka Hiroto looked like a clown in his white suit and cape. He looked far better suited for a circus than an owner of such a prestigious company.

As if not wishing to be forgotten, his cellphone rang without warning. Tsukune stumbled slightly, his arm going deeply into his backpack, pushing aside his books in haste. He groaned. What kind of idiot puts his phone at the bottom of his bag? Finally, he managed to find the elusive object and looked at the collar ID.

He smiled." Hello, Minato."

Tsukune had met Minato when he was four years old, Minato being two years his senior. His aunt had finally taken a visit to a sister she hadn't met in nearly five years. The result was two socially awkward cousins who had gotten along well due to their similar problem of being average. The only difference was that Minato was a lot smarter; his nerves were his only downside. He hadn't seen his elder cousin since he was thirteen years old. To think he'd finally be seeing him again, much less living with him.

"Ah, Tsukune-kun," Minato's voice was awfully cheerful on the other line." It's good to finally talk to you again. It's been a long time."

"Hai," Tsukune agreed." It has been a long time. I hear that you're taking your exams this week, right? Obasan said that you were taking it again."

Minato sulked." Yeah, I failed last time. Your mother said you failed your high school exams though." he shot back. Tsukune could feel the older male perking up on the other side.

He smiled." Well I guess we're both just a couple of dunces." The brunette shook his head while his cousin stifled a chuckle." How's your sister been? Will she be attending with you?" Tsukune could feel the small spike of irritation from Minato. It wasn't hard to understand. His other cousin was just as much of a pain as Yukari was. The boy remembered how the older girl tried to dress him up in dresses when he was younger. Not his greatest hour in the slightest.

"Yes. Yukari will be taking the test too." Minato confirmed. The male glanced down at his watch before speaking once more." Not to be rude, but do you have any idea when you will be arriving?" Tsukune looked down at his phone and frowned. It was around four pm.

He took a deep breath." I should be there in about…" he smiled when the bus driver put three fingers in the air." I should be there in three hours. We're in the city now so it won't be long before we get to your apartment. Have you told your landlord that I was coming?"

"Hai. I gave him the money your mother sent in advance." Minato responded. The nineteen year old glared at the large stack of books on his desk." I have to study so I'll see in you in a little bit. Ja-ne"

"Bye." Tsukune wordlessly shut his phone before leaning back into his seat. It wouldn't be long now. Just three hours and his extended vacation would begin. Even though he was slightly reluctant, he agreed with the chairman. Maybe some time in the human world would finally allow him to relax and not worry constantly.

He should have known better.

XxXxXxX

He dreamed of dying again.

_Don't think badly of me, Tsukune…_

It was that night once again. Back then, he had no control over his body and held no care for the consequences his actions might have on his future. Contrary to popular belief, he was more than aware of what his body was doing. He had been dreaming of it constantly, watching his crazed body attempt to murder his friends. He saw the monster he had become and he was disgusted by it.

_You shouldn't have been involved with the Demon World after all…_

He had died that night, Sooner than he liked, especially when he was only sixteen years old. He had not regretted his decision, despite its ramifications. He did it for the one he loved. How could he not fall in love with the vampire goddess that graced him with her presence? He was her first friend, and she in turn was his first true friend, and even worse, his first love. He was like all high school boys. He had a lot of acquaintances and more than a lot of crushes for girls that cared for nothing but the jock or overly popular guy. When Moka had asked to be his friend, it was more of a blessing for him than she would ever realize. Without her, he wouldn't have met Kurumu, Mizore, or Yukari. He would most likely have left the academy or died trying to find his place in it. She was an otherworldly beauty, and like a pitiful commoner, he fell in love with her, despite the fact that there wasn't a chance in the nine hells that she'd accept his feelings for her.

…_That's why I told you, Tsukune that you should have returned to the human world…_

Agony couldn't come close to what Tsukune feeling as his silver haired goddess slowly walked in his direction, a look of finality in her crimson eyes. Her eyes were cold, icier than he had ever seen before and the worst part was that it was centered on him of all people. She couldn't imagine the pain he was in. Her vampire blood sung to his crazed body, he needed… no he craved for her blood to pour down his throat and quench the thirst that drove his mind into oblivion. Words could not describe the horror he felt as she rushed forward and brought him down with a fierce kick. His body ached with agonizing pain and yet he stood up anyway.

A silver tear fell down her beautiful cheeks.

_Forgive me… I no longer have a way to save you…_

He didn't dare hope for mercy. He didn't deserve it and he knew it the moment he glanced down at the fallen outcast at his feet. Midou was a bloody, disfigured mess. He most likely wouldn't survive the rest of the night. He rushed at her, his speed surpassing her, no matter how much he cried for his death in his mind. She was far more experienced than his body was and he once again felt a bitter copper taste in his mouth as he ate dirt once more.

The taste of his own blood infuriated his body and the madness grew as the tree branch like corruption spread farther along his neck. He beat her down without remorse and furiously kicked her aside, determined to make her feel pain before her untimely death. To his relief, she reacted quickly and brought the ghoul to the ground once more, a deadly look in her eyes. It was like looking into the eyes of death.

_Tsukune… the truth is… I wanted to be with you more…_

More tears fell and the ghoul realized that its body refused to respond anymore. The screaming boy trapped in his mind watched resignedly as the silver haired goddess picked him up by the collar of his shirt, her slender and soft hand wrapped around his neck.

_When the time comes… you'll need to give yourself an answer… Tsukune…_

She reared her arm back, ready to deliver the final blow.

He closed his eyes.

_I love you, Moka-san._

She let her arm fly and he only knew darkness.

XxXxXxX

**"This is your stop, kid."**

Tsukune's eyes snapped open and he looked around in alarm. He relaxed. There wasn't an abandoned building. There wasn't an Anti-thesis or a ghoul lurking about. Moka wasn't going to kill him. The bus driver cleared his throat and Tsukune's head snapped up.

Realizing it was indeed his stop, he offered the bus driver an apologetic grin." Eh, sorry bus driver-san. I'll be on my way now." The bus driver chuckled and Tsukune was quick to gather his things. Before he stepped off however, the bus driver stopped him.

**"Have fun, kid."** Tsukune had never seen the man's face without a creepy grin on it. The seriousness of his expression had an ominous feeling to it.**" As long as you realize what's good in life, that nasty old ghoul won't creep up on you."**

The bus driver had completely surprised him and Tsukune was left by himself as the bus drove off in the opposite direction. He shook his head. First the chairman and now the bus driver was concerned? He looked at his hands, picturing the blood that fell from them. He hadn't mattered to them before his turning. Why were they so concerned now? Was he simply a pawn in their wish for their friend's dream?

Shaking his head, he left his disturbed mind to its musings and looked forward. He chuckled. Like his cousin, the apartment wasn't so spectacular. It was one of those instances where Tsukune could finally take the time to make small comparisons between himself and everyone else around him. Compared to Minato, the younger boy wasn't an average human. He was far stronger than any human hoped to be, and he had personal proof that he could survive almost anything if the scars on his body were any indication.

He grimaced. He'd have to find a way of hiding those scars from Minato. It wouldn't do well if he started asking his questions on why his cousin looked like he was mauled by a bear. Tsukune didn't even think that Moka knew how many scars he had all over his body because of his decision to stay at the academy. He had burns that would never heal completely on his chest because of Kuyō, scars from Saizo on his first day and the large x shaped one he had received from the monstrel after meeting him for a second time. As long as he didn't visit any hot springs with his cousin or joined him in the furo, he'd be okay.

He adjusted the shoulder strap of his pack and picked up his suitcase before heading into the building. Like the outside, the inside wasn't much to look at either. Whether it was because the building was old, or the landlord was too much of an ass to take care of it, the building looked terrible. He was already looking forward to his dormitory back at the academy. The ceiling had cracks in it, and if he wasn't mistaken, there were termites in the stairs. He sighed. Minato's predicament was understandable. He imagined with all the studying required to pass these exams, his cousin didn't have time for a job.

He walked past the landlord without greeting him. Usually, he was rather polite to everyone, but that man pissed him off without even saying anything. Ever since the ghoul incident, his emotions hadn't been very controlled, explaining his predicament. He found Minato's apartment with ease and knocked on the door.

Loud rustling rumbled from behind the wall and the door swung open, revealing his very tired looking cousin. Minato's hair was spiked in every direction and there were dark bags under his eyes. His grey eyes brightened as he took in his cousin." Ah, Tsukune! Welcome."

"Minato," Tsukune nodded, stepping inside. He raised an eyebrow as his brown eyes wandered across his older cousin's apartment. Clothes were strewn about everywhere and the place clearly resembled a pigsty. Minato gave a sheepish, but tired, laugh.

"Sorry about the mess." He apologized." With all my college preparations, I really didn't have any time to prepare for your arrival."

Tsukune looked over with a carefree smile." It's fine. I just found it surprising that the cousin who always scolded me about cleanliness has a room dirtier than mine. I'll help clean up while you study for tomorrow."

Minato frowned." You don't have to do that, Tsukune. You're my guest after all." He protested, waving his arms around." Do you imagine what my mom would say if you cleaned up my apartment?"

Tsukune chuckled." Obasan loves me. I'll curb her wrath from you for a bit. As for cleaning up, I don't mind at all. I'll even prepare dinner so we can catch up over some hot food. You look really tired anyway." His cousin blushed and Tsukune smiled." Just let me put my stuff away and I'll start cooking."

"S-sure," Minato gave in, albeit grudgingly." You're still the mother hen, huh? I remember how you used to get worried about Yukari and me when we misbehaved. You always did have time to help."

"I think my mother hen problem got worse after you left. Obasan was always calling my mother, telling her how much of a delinquent you've been lately." He laughed softly, and gave a smile as he dropped his bag in a corner and opened his suitcase." My friends are always telling me that I'm a worrywart."

Minato brightened." At least some things didn't change about you."

"Hm, what do you mean?"

Minato smiled." Believe it or not, Tsukune, but you seem different. Maybe it's just because we're older, but you don't seem like the scared, protective, little boy I remember." Even if Tsukune couldn't see it, Minato and everyone else could. When he first began his first term at the academy, he had wide and innocent eyes that knew not the suffering of others and his body was frail and weak. His eyes had narrowed to sharp degree and his face and body were already beginning to define much more than he possibly could imagine.

"I don't see it." Tsukune admitted. He placed the rest of his items in the drawer before pulling out a futon and rolling it on the ground. He visibly relaxed as he stood up and made for the kitchen." Now go do your work and let me cook dinner."

"Tch," Minato rolled his eyes." I learned how to be a procrastinator because of you…" he mumbled before trudging off to his desk.

Tsukune chose not to respond to that comment and continued on his way. His eye twitched. This apartment really was smaller than the one at the academy. The kitchen was far too simple for his liking. He shook his head. It didn't matter. It wasn't as if it would affect his culinary skills anyway. He could hear the barely audible sounds of pencil scratching against paper and Minato's tired sigh. He smirked smugly; he wouldn't have to do that for some time. As noodles boiled in hot water, he pulled out the book given to him by the chairman.

He smiled. He recognized the label. Some mysterious bat always mentioned the contents of the book whenever Moka or the girls were fighting some random student. It was the Bite-Sized-Dictionary. Whether it was his determination to control his powers or to find weakness's that could kill him should he lose control, Tsukune found himself turning to the Vampire section of the book.

**Bite-Size-Monster**

**Dictionary**

**Vampire (Vam-pyre)**

**A Vampire is often mentioned in the folklore of various cultures: It is a monster that sucks the blood of humans and livestock for nutrients. Possesses high battle capabilities and is not easy to kill. Its strength is one of the greatest among monsters. On the other hand, vampires have many weaknesses such as being weakened by water. Also known as the Immortal Ones.**

Tsukune gently underlined the word,_ Immortal_. Not even halfway through the page and he had already come across an important fact he should have learned from the movies. Was it possible that Moka was immortal? If so, how in the hell was he supposed to have a relationship with her? He marked the section. If he was going to make such a relationship work (if he ever had the balls to court her), he'd need to find a solution to that problem, less Moka is alone after he died. There was no point in wallowing in despair. The Chairman was right. He had to wake up for his friend's sake.

**Powers and Abilities**

**Yōki Conversion: The signature ability of the Vampire race is their ability to channel their unrivaled reserves of Yōki directly into their unique musculature, generating incredibly high levels of raw strength.**

"Hmm, so that's how Moka-san hits people so hard. I thought she did that naturally." He mumbled." Still almost pulled my arm off, though, even while sealed," It didn't seem far off to assume that he had this same ability as well with the vampire blood pulsing within him. His supposed harem, after beating him for wallowing in self-pity, did tell him that the Ghoul was very strong, almost as strong as Moka was. Did he use it unconsciously, or was it just a natural ability he possessed?

**Healing Abilities: As a species highly specialized for combat, Vampires possess unrivaled healing abilities and incredible stamina. Their healing in response to receiving damage can be almost reflexive if not automatic, and they can take tremendous punishment in the unlikely event of taking an enemy's attack.**

Tsukune nodded. This one was obviously an ability that he possessed with her blood. There wasn't a way in the nine hells that he could have survived most of the damage to his body without her blood constantly repairing his muscles and cells. Maybe that's why the ghoul was so difficult for Moka to beat. With a healing factor like that, it wasn't hard to assume that it would take a lot to kill him. He'd have to ask the chairman if there was a way to possibly cancel out that healing factor.

**Yōki Detection: Another signature Vampiric ability is the power to not only sense an opponent's energy, but their intentions as well. This allows a Vampire to be able to sense their thoughts and movements without relying on sound, sight, vibrations, and even smell, effectively enabling the Vampire to almost 'foresee' his/her enemy's attack, and fight accordingly.**

"This one sounds incredibly useful." He remarked quietly, gently stirring the noodles and adding diced meats and vegetables to the pot." I wonder why Moka-san has a hard time finding me or Mizore-san if she can tap into that ability." It was ability he was unaware if he had or not. Maybe when Minato wasn't around or at college, he could practice and see if it was available to him.

**Wealth of Power: This largely forgotten and shunned ability enables a Vampire to be able to change their shape into almost any form that he or she wishes, such as a wolf, mice, bats, mist, or and other forms known to folklore. Despite its tremendous potential, the Vampires obsession with creating and sustaining an aesthetically-pleasing appearance has led to the abandonment of this innate skill.**

Tsukune almost spilled his noodles." I thought that was just in the movies!" he sputtered. Moka had never transformed into a mouse or bat before. Come to think of it, she hadn't changed any part of her body before. Then again, it was an abandoned skill, but still… why would you abandon it just to look good? It didn't sound too smart in his perspective, but then again, he was human. What did he know?

**Charm: Vampires can make victims they wish to suck blood from lowering their guard by using charm; force is also possible, based on personality.**

He shook his head. That ability didn't exist. Moka didn't charm him into letting her have his blood. Nope, never happened in his life and that ability didn't sound like it belonged to vampires. It sounded like it belonged to all women in general.

**Blood Transfusion: Vampires can bite others, and inject them with their own blood through their fangs. Depending of the kind of vampire that is giving the blood, and the species of the recipient, the results can vary.**

There was far more information and details, but for now, that was enough to learn today. His ramen noodles were done. He almost drooled as the scent of his own created seeped into his nostrils and it wasn't long before he found his cousin peeking out of the door like a small child.

Minato's eyes were wide and watery." Can I have some?" he mumbled childishly. A bit of pride was evident on Tsukune's face, and he idly blamed it on Moka. She was bad influence. He was starting to become slightly arrogant in his abilities, especially in his culinary skills. Minato floated over to the small table he had for dinner." Soooo gooood…"

Tsukune laughed." Eat up. It was the best I could make with what you had in the pantry." He sat the nice boiling pot on a place mat on the table and took out two bowls and set them up neatly." I'm going to have to visit the supermarket tomorrow, Minato."

Minato scratched the back of his head." Sorry. If you want, I can go ahead and grab some takeout tomorrow after my exams so you don't have to go. I imagine you want to explore the city so there isn't any need for you to go out of your way or anything."

The other boy grinned." It's fine. I have to help out somehow if I'm living with you. Besides, you can't have anything distracting you from your test."

"Thanks for reminding me about it." Minato grumbled.

Tsukune frowned." You still have trouble with dealing with pressure, huh?" Minato sunk lower in depression and Tsukune shook his head." Don't worry, you'll pass. By the way, have you gotten a girlfriend yet?"

Minato groaned." No…" he raised his head in curiosity." Have you?" It wasn't a secret that a major similarity between the two cousins was their cluelessness when it comes to women. The younger cousin shook his head in negative and Minato sighed in relief. He wasn't the only one in the family without a significant other.

"Although most of my friends are girls,"

And Minato deflated once more.

He smiled, despite knowing his cousin was doing better than him. It was his fault after all. He was an rōnin of all things." Your mother did mention something about you going to some private academy. Do your friends go there too?"

"Yes," Tsukune nodded." I think it's the only place where I ever really made friends of the opposite gender. No one wants the average kid, ya know."

Minato rolled his eyes." Tell me about it." He slurped some more of Tsukune's heavenly work." Wow, Tsukune! This is really good. You could be a chef or something." The smugness in Tsukune grew and he did his best to hide that Moka-like-smirk that was creeping on his lips. Soon, the whole pot was devoured and Minato patted his stomach happily." I haven't eaten that well in a while."

Tsukune grinned." That's good and all, but you have an exam tomorrow in the morning. It's nearly midnight. Go get some sleep." He ordered mockingly and Minato glared at him childishly. Tsukune brought the worse out of him sometimes.

"Fine," he mumbled and he trudged through the bedroom door and fumbled into his futon. Tsukune chuckled quietly. His cousin and he were more similar than he had thought. Speaking of sleep, it was probably time for him to go to bed as well. With that in mind, he shrugged of his academy blazer and put the dirty dishes in the sink. He yawned. He'd clean them tomorrow morning while Minato took the exam. After that, they could go get some lunch or something and he can explore Shinto Teito.

The minute he hit the futon, he was out like a light.

XxXxXxX

When Tsukune had awoken, he had come to a conclusion. Something mysterious and unprecedented was in the air, something so unexpected that the mere aura of everything around him resembled his academy. There was no visible indication that something had changed, but something indeed had become different. He gave the holy lock around his wrist an accusing glance.

It was definitely the ghoul's fault.

Vampires had the ability to detect when things in the air were different than before. Maybe that Yōki Detection was coming naturally to him. Either that or he had a high survival instinct. It came with the job of being a student at an all monster school. Of course Minato would be none the wiser to his cousin's unique _condition_ and he intended to keep it that way. He took a look at the watch on the wrist that didn't hold the lock and sighed tiredly. It was 9:45 and Minato would be starting his exam in an hour.

There were some situations where it was better to attend early and apparently Minato was a follower of the saying "the early bird gets the worm". He couldn't feel his cousin's presence in the apartment so it was safe to say that he was gone. With that in mind, he freed his body from his white dress shirt and sprinted to the bathroom for an eagerly awaited shower and soak.

As he soaked in the furo, soapy buds running down his chest, he brought his wrist up for examination. All the links to the holy lock were completely stable so there wasn't any cause for concern that may make him regress into his ghoul state again. The chairman had said that he could access the power he possessed with Belmont, but how much power was he able to access? Would it be possible to someday access it without the holy lock breaking and turning him back into a mindless monster?

Clad in only a pair of jeans, he picked up his pack to get a better look at what the headmaster had given to him. He obviously had the whip, Belmont, which was placed next to him for safe keeping. He had the Bite-Sized-Dictionary, which he should probably study should he encounter any Yokai in the human world, no matter how slim the possibility was. He dug his hand around and retrieved one last item from the pack. He frowned. He didn't remember the headmaster ever giving him this item.

It was an old and worn leather book, the pages yellow from age. It had the illustrations of numerous kinds of rosaries and locks adorning the cover and in gold, _Nosferatu_, was engraved as the apparent title. A small slip of paper fell out from the book.

_Mr. Aono_

_My assistant, Ruby has seen it fit to request my aid in your early training due to you having no understanding of how your powers may work. The book in your hands is an old and irreplaceable artifact handcrafted by my oldest friend. It was meant to teach young vampires how to control and use their powers due to the many purges the humans committed in medieval times. Unfortunately, she never published it and gave it to me for safekeeping. Inside, you will find not only her teachings, but some personal notes courtesy of me that will teach you how to draw Yōki from the holy lock without turning into your monster form. A word of caution, should you overextend the amount of Yōki drawn from the holy lock without the assistance of Belmont, one of the many links will break and the possibility of you transforming into a ghoul will increase. I cannot aid you anymore. It is time you start making your own decisions without someone helping you in the shadows. Dark times are coming, Mr. Aono. I'd like if you were prepared for it._

_-Tenmei Mikogami_

_Chairman of Yokai Academy_

Tsukune scowled. Just when he thought things were starting to become easier. That meant Belmont would have to be on hand at all times till he could draw on the power by himself. He relaxed. He was grateful for the assistance and made a reminder to thank the chairman next time he saw him. He put everything away in a small mobile travel bag. It would be wise to have them on hand incase something happened while he was away. Whether it was a tribute to a fallen friend, or he really believed in him, the chairman needed Tsukune for something important. It had to be big if he wanted to prevent any possibility of death by offering him something to keep him busy.

Whatever the cause, he'd have to be ready. Procrastination in school work was perfectly acceptable, at least in his mind, Procrastination on major things that had the chairman giving handouts, not so much. He threw on a long sleeve shirt and jacket, and shouldered his small belongings. It looked like a nice day. It wouldn't hurt to explore the city while Minato was off being studious.

He rushed out of the apartment building, careful to avoid the landlord that owned it. He seemed like the kind of guy who was an ass to everyone and spread rumors. The young man could deal with assholes at the academy, but he wasn't allowed to call in Inner Moka to ruin the guy's day. Why Minato had to deal with that, he didn't know. If Tsukune could man up a little, than so can his cousin. He had caught a bus the minute he left so traveling was a bit easier than he had expected. He frowned. Tokyo wasn't Tokyo anymore. Most of the buildings were replaced with MBI Shinto Teito merchandise, leaving only the more traditional homes unchanged. The government metropolitan building had been destroyed, and over it stood the MBI building.

_In breaking economic news, Hiroto Minaka, President of the giant conglomerate MBI, announced today that the company has bought eighty percent of all Shinto Teito stocks. Minority shareholders are decrying this unexpected event as a power grab._

"To think that someone out there has enough money to buy out a whole city," Tsukune shook his head as he continued on his way." It's a little unnerving. That much power in one person's hand is a scary thought." His brown eyes took in the picture of the President of MBI." That man looks creepier than the chairman… has a creepier laugh too."

He wandered aimlessly for several hours, sometimes stopping at several store windows to take a look at their wares. It was weird how many people sold some less than ordinary stuff and people bought it. As several young men in suits walked by, he could tell that they were hosts. There was one man with silver hair and reddish brown eyes who waved politely before continuing on his way.

A dark cloud formed over Tsukune's head." Man, I bet he gets all the girls… I can't even get Moka to look at Me." his eyes narrowed." Note to self: don't take Moka to a host club with that guy."

It was hard enough dealing with being an average guy with average looks. But with guys like those, it was impossible to get girls like Moka to fawn over him. Admittedly, sometimes he wondered if Moka just stuck around because his blood was awesome. He smacked himself._ Bad Tsukune, Bad! Moka's your friend! How could you be so rude?_

Ignoring those traitorous thoughts of his, he went inside the store where the hosts went to get their suits and very good looking clothing. The store décor was very nice with mahogany tables and chairs that glistened like stars and numerous changing rooms filled with gorgeous attire. The carpet was smooth and black in color and Tsukune felt like he was an outsider.

Before he could make like a banana and split, a slender hand caught his shoulder." Do you need help with something?" the voice was very feminine and had a husky edge to it. Tsukune found himself looking at the silver haired man from before.

He scratched the back of his head." No. I just don't think this place is for me. I never did have any good taste." He admitted." Thanks for offering though. I should probably go now."

The man laughed." Nonsense! You don't have to go. I'll be glad to help you out." Tsukune found himself dragged back into the store. The silver haired man led him through an isle of clothes." I'm Kagari, by the way. I'm a host entertainer at the host club down the street."

Tsukune shook his hand." Aono Tsukune. It's a pleasure to meet you, Kagari-san." He took a quick look around while Kagari was occupied, looking for an escape. He found none to his dismay.

Kagari looked up." Is there anything in particular you're looking for, Aono-san? Do you have a budget in mind?" there was a wee bit of distaste in his eyes at Tsukune's clothing._ I saw the way he reacted to me. Trying to grab a girl's eye? I know the feeling. You'd get them if you dressed better._

Tsukune shook his head." Tsukune is just fine, Kagari-san. As for your other question, I don't really have a budget. I'm actually in need of a new wardrobe. I've recently returned from private school and came home to find that none of my clothes fit." He wasn't lying. His mother nearly had a fit when he came out with pants that looked like high waters and shirts that he couldn't even put on because they were so small. Had he grown that much in such a little time?

Kagari was amused." We'll just have to fix that won't we." He had an armful of different materials and gave one of the clerks a rather pointed look that had her running." Measure, Mr. Aono here and tell him how he looks. I'll have the girls down at the host club come by and give their own opinion."_ He has the face and movements of a good person. I really hope they help him out instead of teasing him._

"W-what," Tsukune sputtered.

"You really think I do this by myself? I'm a guy too, ya know." Kagari said innocently." You seem nice enough and the girls will set you straight in no time." Kagari hadn't been this amused in a while. It was always fun to pick out the innocent ones and have everyone critique them. He smiled at the clerk before heading out to the club to get some hostess's." Enjoy. She made me look the way I do so treat her right."_ Something tells me we're going to meet again, Aono Tsukune._

XxXxXxX

Tsukune wasn't amused.

Clothes shopping nearly took two hours because everyone had their own little opinion. The hostesses were very nice and attractive, and very genuine in their opinions. It was their job to look good so their advice was as good as any. They had thrown away his old clothes the minute he bought new ones, and now he found himself in a black turtle neck with grey slacks.

It was times like those that Tsukune never regretted denying Kurumu a chance to shop with him. The trip would've been a lot longer had she been there. For how hard she tried to get him out of his clothes, she cared a lot about what he wearing. He adjusted the collar, the turtleneck being just a wee bit tight.

His phone rang.

"Moshi-Moshi," Tsukune eyes lingered on the caller ID, It wasn't one he recognized. It belonged to an Inn of sorts? Why someone from an inn would be calling him, he had no idea.

"Tsukune!" brown eyes widened. That was Minato!

"Minato," he nearly yelled." Why aren't you calling me from your cellphone? You were supposed to meet me for lunch, but I never got a text."

Minato chuckled nervously on the other line." Well something happened…" oh, no. Tsukune recognized that tone of voice. He used it all the time when he was around Inner Moka or the girls in general.

"What happened?"

"Well, for starters… I failed the exams again."

"What?" Tsukune exclaimed in surprise." I saw you study for nearly half the night last night. How did you fail? And more importantly, what are you going to do now?"

Minato bowed his head on the other line." That's not all… I got kicked out of the apartment." Before Tsukune could react, he continued." But a landlady was very generous and offered us rooms at an inn called Izumo Inn. It's a nice place and she lowered the price for us."

Tsukune was silent other line for several moments before responding." Well, at least you got us a new place. But do you mind telling me how you got kicked out in the first place?"

Minato chuckled nervously again." Well you see –"

"Minato-sama, who are you talking to?"

"…."

Silence

Tsukune gave the phone an incredulous look, not exactly sure if he heard right." Was that a girl I heard…?" Minato gulped and Tsukune laughed." It is isn't it? Minato, you sly devil you..." Finally, he could tease someone about the same problem he had.

"…"

"Oh, Minato," Tsukune sighed." You finally feel my pain. Don't feel so bad about it. I deal with stuff like that at school anyway." Minato sighed in relief and Tsukune stretched before taking a look at the latest bus schedules down the road." Look, I'll be there in about a half hour. Bye."

He shook his head in exasperation." It must be the genes… it has to be. No one has that much bad luck but mom and her sister."

XxXxXxX

It wasn't long before he reached Izumo Inn. It was nice in a traditional Japanese boarding house style. He admired the owner. To keep something like that in tip top shape in 2020 must be a very hard working person. Before he could step forward, the sliding doors opened.

"Ahh, you must be Aono, Tsukune." An experienced eye would've recognized the grace the woman walked with. Tsukune did, but compared it with another's. It was a slender but shapely woman with purple hair that greeted him. She was very beautiful." Welcome to Izumo Inn."

Tsukune smiled politely.

This is where an old adventure that began with monsters ended and the beginnings of a new one where two kinds of people will be thrust into a game of tragedy and romance. Unknown to him, because of his cousin's actions, he would do anything but relax this extended vacation.

**Tell me what you guys think.**

**More reviews I get, the more motivated I usually am. For those wondering about Order of the Phoenix: A Demigod's Might. That's a whole can of worms that won't be opened till sometime in February.**

**Read and Review!**

**-Palerider365**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here you go, Chapter 2 at your service. I got too many PM's asking for the first of Tsukune's Sekirei. I really didn't think it was all that important but her you go. Thank you to those who reviewed, and to those who favorite/ followed but didn't review, please do. I would love to hear your honest opinion to help me improve this story.**

**Last time on Sekirei + Vampire**

**It wasn't long before he reached Izumo Inn. It was nice in a traditional Japanese boarding house style. He admired the owner. To keep something like that in tip top shape in 2020 must be a very hard working person. Before he could step forward, the sliding doors opened.**

"**Ahh, you must be Aono, Tsukune." An experienced eye would've recognized the grace the woman walked with. Tsukune did, but compared it with another's. It was a slender but shapely woman with purple hair that greeted him. She was very beautiful." Welcome to Izumo Inn."**

**Tsukune smiled politely.**

**This is where an old adventure that began with monsters ended and the beginnings of a new one where two kinds of people will be thrust into a game of tragedy and romance. Unknown to him, because of his cousin's actions, he would do anything but relax this extended vacation.**

**Chapter 2**

**Ghoul + White Veil**

The sunlit sky had begun to lessen in light and the sun dimmed as if it was being devoured by an unknown entity. The black sky was filled with dark grey clouds that were filled to brim with massive amounts of precipitation waiting to fall from the heavens and onto Gaia. The sun had fallen into the darkness to give rule to moon who would watch over the land of mortals, keeping their paths bright with its shining moonlight. The stars were like beacon of hope, a promise that the sun would indeed return and the moon would fall into a vast slumber for another twelve hours. They shined on the light filled windows of Maison Izumo, watching the many residents that lived there.

"Itadakimasu,"

Tsukune ate with childlike delight as the landlady's cooking danced on his taste buds. Every so often, he would pause as a new flavor hit him before large tears streamed out of his eyes." This is so delicious, Miya-san!" Never before had he eaten anything that tasted so heavenly.

The landlady known as Miya hid her giggling elegantly behind her kimono. His childlike demeanor toward her cooking reminded her of the young woman earlier that arrived with his cousin. As he ate with much fervor, his brown eyes wandered over to Miya's form as she giggled quietly at his antics. He had been surprised by both her elegance and her beauty. Before, the most beautiful woman he had ever met had been the inner self of Akashyia Moka. Inner Moka had the grace and looks of goddess with her stern red eyes and silky silver hair. It was not simply her body that attracted him, but the way she carried herself.

Moka was calm, rarely ever losing her composure over anything, and her confidence, bordering on arrogance, was a majestic sight that never ceased to fill him with awe. Yet this woman oozed off more of the same qualities as Moka. Her body was slender and shapely, but not overly much so that it looked ridiculous like it sometimes did on Kurumu. Her waist length purple hair looked soft and he wouldn't have been surprised that had he touched it, it would've been the softest thing he probably would have ever felt. But it wasn't any of these things that spawned off the same attraction he held for Moka.

It was her eyes.

Not many things could escape his notice and whether she realized it or not, the eyes were the window to a person's soul. On the outside, those brown orbs that were much like his, held such warmness and kindness that it wasn't very hard to see why many would probably covet her. Yet, despite the exterior being possibly true, he could tell that the woman was dangerous. Working with Inner Moka had taught him that not everything was as it seemed. Moka's eyes were usually very calm, showing no hint of what she was feeling. The human turned ghoul knew better. There was flame inside Moka that lusted for battle, the same flame he could see within Miya by just looking at her. He had entertained the idea that she was possibly Yokai, but dismissed it when he realized he would've felt the distinct monster energies this close to her.

He would admit that despite having no monster energy, he felt as if he were in the presence of some Shinto goddess kind enough to take care of him. She was a warrior of some sorts that was all he could tell. Even with such danger close by, he felt confident that she was no threat to him. It wasn't even the fact that she was human and he was a monster hiding under the surface. She was gifting him with kindness, allowing him to stay in her home when she could have simply kicked him out and not offer him food.

Miya smiled at his kindness." Oh, why thank you, Tsukune-san. Your kindness is appreciated." She was doing what the young brunette was doing before. She had taken notice of him the minute he stepped outside of Maison Izumo. It wasn't all that difficult to notice him and she had suspected that Kagari had sensed him as well, but simply chose not to mention it. As he ate, she watched his movements and the way his body would physically relax the longer he ate in her quiet home.

The way he greeted her, from his stance alone, gave her some indication that he had been in combat before, despite how mediocre his stance was. From a master's viewpoint, it reminded her of an over eager student who went rōnin and chose not to complete his teachings. He was naive, that much she could tell from his smiling brown eyes alone, but he was also wiser than most probably gave him credit. He had the eyes of a man much older than he was that understood the suffering of others and had endured that torment himself. She couldn't understand why this boy was so much more different than his cousin, Minato. Minato's eyes were tired, but happy and there was a cowardly essence that needed to be taken care of. He seemed rather sheltered to hatred. This boy, Tsukune, wasn't at all. She briefly considered the possibility that he was dangerous. What would Takehito do? She shook her head. That much was obvious from just looking at the young man. Takehito would've done everything in his power to help him heal and recover from that torment.

Tsukune rubbed his stomach happily, a slight bulge symbolizing his accomplishment." That was delicious, Miya-san, Thank you for feeding me," The rice, the fish, everything that Miya had made for him was absolutely delicious, putting his culinary skills to shame.

Miya chuckled." You're welcome. I usually don't have so many tenants to feed so it's a welcoming change." If only her husband was alive to see how lively it was now. He would have been so happy. Takehito may have not been her destined one, but he was the closest thing to a lover she had." You remind me a lot of my husband. He had the same reaction whenever I would cook something for a special occasion. He always had that same look you do."

Tsukune raised an eyebrow." He sounds like the type of person I would love to meet." Tsukune sipped some water from his cup before continuing." Is he around, or is he working?" the minute the words left his lips, he knew that he had made a mistake. The purple haired woman's brown eyes had saddened slightly and her eyes left his for a second. He knew that look. It reminded him of women he had seen with black veils that visited tombstones every year on the same day.

It was the look of a widow.

Miya twirled a purple lock idly." My husband passed away a long time ago, Tsukune-san." She gave him a melancholy smile." I bet he would've loved to meet you as well. In the hours you've been here, you remind me of him in many ways."

The brunette's eyes softened." I am sorry if I remind you of your husband. I had no intention of bringing my future landlady any pain." Why did he have to go along and bring a sore subject up? Ignorance was a dangerous thing to have and he might have screwed any good relations with his landlady.

Brown eyes eyed him curiously." You did nothing wrong, Tsukune-san. But I thank you for your concern." She stood up and brushed off her kimono." If you'd like, I have a futon set up for you in one of my available rooms. Your cousin went home a couple hours ago and will be arriving in the morning." He gave her an uneasy look and she shook her head with a smile on her face." You haven't done anything wrong, Tsukune-san. Now come and let's get you to your room."

She led him through the hallway, sometimes giving one of the more occupied rooms a strange look like she knew something he didn't, which was most likely true in hindsight. He shook his head. It had to be something all girls did. Moka and the girls always knew something he didn't. It wasn't really his fault. He was only human. They had arrived.

"Welcome to where you will be staying. I finished cleaning this room yesterday so you're lucky." She offered him a small smile before leaving. Tsukune watched her go before shrugging.

It seemed he might' have offended her and he didn't want to be a bother anymore. Within minutes, he found himself resting in the confines of his futon, a small blanket wrapped around him tightly to shield his body from the cold. The golden holy lock shone in the moonlight.

What would he do?

He had arrived here under the assumptions that it would be a completely normal and relaxing vacation away from the monster filled society that inhabited his school. Yokai Academy was a place where chaos built up from the evil energies surrounding some of the students. That chaos had affected Tsukune more than any would know. He had been a gentle soul with no desire to hurt anything. Yet staying in a violent school for so long had the ability to change one's morals when it came to certain things.

Hokuto had unleashed the beast within and unbound the chains that prevented Tsukune from being ruthless on the battlefield. More often than not did he wish to destroy his enemies, to break them and throw them to the wind. He had given them a chance, and they didn't take it. That was as far his gentle nature would allow. But now he was once again residing the human world. What would happen here and would it affect the holy lock holding back his ghoulish nature?

He unlike most humans was far more perceptive and aware of his surroundings than others. Yokai Academy had made him paranoid, whether he wanted to believe it or not. He had not felt anything strange when he arrived to Minato's house the day before. When he arrived at Maison Izumo however, it proved that not all was as it seemed. Maybe he was over thinking it, or maybe the academy had finally done its number on him. He couldn't shake off the feeling that there was more to Shinto Teito than meets the eye.

As his eyes roamed the nice, but simple room afforded to him, he couldn't help but compare it with the globally known MBI and the changes it has done. What started off as a pharmaceutical company had turned into an empire in nearly a years' time. Tsukune remembered as a child where he would see traditional buildings and houses like the inn he was living in. Now, they were scarce because of MBI's intervention.

It was a major change for him, he noted. He had never appreciated the traditional and rather gloomy appearance that Yokai Academy had. At first, it had scared him tremendously, but now, looking at all the buildings surrounding him, he ached for the simplicity of the academy. The dark cobwebs and the whispers of the creatures of the night had become a part of him. The evidence of such truths resided in his bloodstream, and the black marks that would spread across his neck when he lost control of who he was.

As uncomfortable as he was here, did he truly belong to the human world anymore? Or perhaps the world of monsters was now better suited for him, despite how weak he looked and felt? Maybe he couldn't have a place in both worlds and be nothing but a creature akin to a border being like Ruby and Yukari. It was an unnatural fear, and one he would have to confront in the near future.

Before he could continue down the long list of worries in his thoughts, a shadow cast itself near his window. He stiffened, his breathing suddenly quieting. The shadow stood there for several minutes, the owner of it keeping its eyes on the moon. Tsukune let out a small breath and reached for his pack. He could feel some type of energy emanating from the shadow. He dug around anxiously until the tips of his fingers found Belmont. His brown eyes bled red and no sound escaped him.

He raised an eyebrow when he caught sight of white fabric fluttering by his window. His eyes narrowed. The fabric was_ silk._ The shadow disappeared and white silk blocked his visage of the outside of Izumo Inn. He sprang from the futon and rushed to window just in time to catch the sight of a figure running across the roofs of other homes in the night. Something in the back of his mind urged him to follow and his vampire instincts thirsted for battle. Whoever that person was, it was a resident of Maison Izumo.

He unlatched his window and slid it open. He grabbed Belmont and wrapped it tightly around his waist. He wouldn't be able to fight right with it in his hands, and if he dropped it, he would be powerless if one of the links to the lock broke. With that in mind, he allowed his Yōki to push into his leg muscles and he leapt from his windowsill onto the roof of a nearby home.

The headmaster might kill him for this.

Moka **will **kill him for this.

He couldn't stand idly by and let some unknown wander the streets without knowing its intentions. His landing was surprisingly quiet, the only evidence indicating that he indeed landed were the small dents in the roof where he stood. His red eyes scanned the rooftops and he wasn't disappointed. His mystery person was only a block away and still moving. He would've laughed it if he hadn't realized just how serious the situation was. Who would've have thought that average, normal, weak, Aono Tsukune would be patrolling the rooftops like a predator of the night. If only the girls could see him now. He didn't think he'd survive the scolding.

He glided across the buildings with ease, Belmont proving to be quite the medium between his powers and his body's functions. His landings were okay, but he overestimated his jump several times, nearly losing the white veiled intruder. He knew the possibility of him dying was rather high considering that this veiled intruder was an unknown to him

Death

That one word that so many people fear did nothing to hinder the young ghoul's pursuit of his mystery person. The word death was just that, a word. Maybe when he first attended Yokai, the word sent some string of fear into his heart. But now, it was just a word someone might use casually in a conversation to him. He had seen people die, he had seen people beaten to near death, and he himself had experienced death. It was when he exchanged his life for Moka's and took the fire meant to kill her, that he truly did not fear death. As he seemingly flew over large gaps in between buildings, he did not fear falling to the embrace of the reaper.

What he did fear was the death of his friends. If his friends died, he would be alone in this world and his ghoul would finally overtake him. If his friends died, he would slaughter their murderers. If his friends died, the world wouldn't be allowed to be happy. If his friends died, the world would burn around him. The lives of everyone around him hung in the balance. He didn't know what he would do if he lost Moka. The consequences would be most _severe._

He knew he was unconsciously using his Yōki detector when he felt an energy spike coming from the veiled person's direction. There were three in total, two were clearly very powerful, and if Tsukune had to guess, they would be A-rank in terms of monster class. The other is far weaker than he is, more so as an average human. In return, he spikes his own to alert them of another incoming threat. From the energy spikes alone, he knew that the two larger energies were battling one another. The energies themselves felt very similar, yet each had their own piece of uniqueness that differentiated them from one another. Upon that discovery, he wondered if that is how other monsters felt the Yōki in him and compared with Moka's. They felt the same power associated with a vampire, but could they sense the taint within him as well?

He was getting closer and the sounds of battle were audible to his ears. The yells of a human male begging the two warriors opposing each other to stop their conflict reached his sensitive ears. The crimson in his eyes darkened and his round pupils morphed into their slit counterparts, reptilian in appearance. He drew upon his power with no innate skill, only instinct. It was his ambition to gain control of his dark powers, but for now, his instincts were the only thing available to him. He looked toward the night sky. Dark clouds were easily visible, even in the darkness and it felt as if the heavens were weeping for the battle that would surely come. It would rain soon. It was at that time that Tsukune praised his human state. Had he been a vampire, tonight would ultimately prove fatal to him.

Red eyes had finally landed on the scene of the battle. To his shame, and utter embarrassment, he almost suffered a nosebleed of epic proportions._ I'm such a pervert._ The area was a small shopping district that had been wrecked severely from the clash between titans standing below him. Leaning against a car was a rather curvy raven haired woman with short hair and a blond haired man desperately trying to steady her. Knives were scattered across the street and from what Tsukune could tell, belonged to her. His perverted nature had made itself known when he caught sight of the rips and tears on her top that displayed lots of her chest to him. He shook it aside when he caught how worried the blond male was about her.

He stiffened. The scent of blood was absolutely everywhere. His eyes trailed down her form. Her arms were heavily damaged and torn, blood seeping from her wounds like a small waterfall and a small hole in her stomach made the revelation about her all the more clear to the former human. If she didn't receive medical attention, she would die today. His ears pricked slightly as he picked up their conversation.

"Takashi… you need to go." The woman hissed, clutching her side in agony. More blood spilled from her wounds, coating the sidewalk in her red essence." This Sekirei assassin will kill you…" Tsukune raised an eyebrow. What was a Sekirei? The blond haired man shook his head vehemently.

Tsukune almost smiled at the affection he showed the woman." No!" he refused." I am your Ashikabi. I-I don't care if I die, I just want to be with you." Tears spilt from his eyes like the river Nile." You're the first person to ever love me. I can't abandon you, Natsu."

Red eyes gazed jealously at the obviously intimate pair. There was no denying the love between the two, even in the current situation they were in now. It was something Tsukune envied, something he wanted. It wasn't something he deserved. This woman wouldn't abandon the man before her because he wouldn't do that to her. If the girls realized just how much a loser he was… he'd be alone again, always envious of others relationships.

The woman's eyes softened." Takashi… you're such an idiot. You don't know how much I love you right now." She admitted quietly." If that is what you want my love, then let's die together then." Natsu hissed in pain and dropped to the ground, Takashi catching her before she fell. Suddenly, the woman's eyes narrowed." Takashi, get behind me." Tsukune didn't have to wait long for what had caught her off guard.

A white veil fluttered in the winds.

Tsukune growled quietly. The veiled warrior was a woman, just like Natsu was. The brunette bit off his perverted tendencies quickly to analyze his soon to be opponent if things were going the way he thought they were. Brown hair spilled down her creamy shoulders that were covered in small cuts and bruises. Blood leaked down her leg and mouth and it didn't take a scientist to know that the woman she attacked didn't take it too kindly. The veiled assailant shifted into a fighting stance and Natsu cringed in pain, desperately trying to get up and protect her lover.

Only Tsukune caught the words that spilled from the veiled female's lips._" I'm sorry."_ With that, she leapt forward with blinding speed, her arm poised to deliver the final blow. Takashi flinched but wrapped his arms around his Sekirei and held her tightly. Natsu gave him a strange look before placing her hand on his cheek and leaning her head on his chest. This would be their final hour together, and she had only been with him for a couple of days. She smiled. She felt blessed to have such a good Ashikabi, even if their time together was short. The whistle of the veiled woman's arms extending rang in their ears and they hugged each other one final last time…

CRACK

The earth buckled in front of them and the Ashikabi-Sekirei due were pushed aside by rushing winds. They hit the ground with a loud crack, Takashi taking most of the blow to prevent further harm to Natsu. The woman's eye snapped open and she looked around in wonderment. Takashi weakly smiled at her. They were alive? The veiled woman's attack should have ended them… it was then that the duo heard the grunt of exertion in front of them.

Words were unnecessary because they could not readily describe what they were seeing. The veiled woman's eyes had widened tremendously and found that she could push her arm no further. An intimidating male had prevented their untimely demise. His brown hair fluttered gently in the breeze that had come with his arrival and his skin was as pale as the snow that fell in the times of winter. The veiled woman gasped softly as she took in his disturbingly handsome face. His eyes were narrowed and mature, filled with a madness one could only associate with battle and war. His mouth had two long fangs poking out from his upper lips and rows of square teeth had sharpened to a dangerous point. Her chest erupted in strange agonizingly beautiful warmth and her eyes wavered from his form. Crimson eyes stared back at her angrily as their owner's arm shook, his hand wrapped tightly around her fist. Tsukune clenched his teeth painfully, blood seeping from his lips as his fangs pierced them with no remorse.

He turned his head around and gave a heated glare to the duo behind him.**" Leave."** He hissed, his control on his Yōki was struggling quickly and it was already doing a number on his body.**" There's a hospital nearly four blocks away that's run by MBI. I'll deal with this woman."** They didn't move, far too entranced and frightened by the Vampiric eyes that seemingly stared into their soul. They snapped out of it when a fiery inferno erupted in those eyes.**" LEAVE NOW BEFORE I LOSE WHAT LITTLE SENSE OF CONTROL I HAVE LEFT!"**

Takashi was the first to react." O-Okay," he stuttered and despite his injuries, scooped up Natsu with ease. He smiled at her before giving Tsukune a thankful look." Domo Arigatou, Onigami-sama," Before Natsu could even react, he sped off with her in his arms. Tsukune blinked, what in the hell did he just call him?

His danger senses went off like an alarm.

He agilely evaded the sharp kick aimed for the side of his head. Tsukune caught it with his left arm and threw the woman across the street and into a car. He winced lightly when she collided with the cold metal and the car alarm began to blare loudly. Thunder cracked across the sky and suddenly, rain forcefully fell down from the sky. His brown hair stuck to his forehead as he watched the veiled woman get up, brushing the deep cut in her side. She shook violently and her skin was turning bright red in color. He raised an eyebrow. What was going on with her? A light stirring in his chest caught his attention and his legs all of a sudden felt woozy. He gritted his teeth and straightened his legs. Whatever was happening to her was obviously affecting him.

Brown eyes glared hatefully at red ones." You let them escape." Tsukune leapt away as the veils around her made to attack him. She was going to see him writhe due to his intervention. The whispers in her mind told her he did it for the right reason, but she didn't care. If she didn't succeed in her mission… the cost was too high." Teni No Mai (天衣の舞, Dance of the Heavenly Garment)" The veils crashed into the human ghoul and wrapped around him tightly. She hadn't expected him to rip right through like they were paper. The fact that he caught her punch proved without a doubt, he wasn't human." What number are you, Sekirei?"

Confused red eyes gazed back at her." What are you talking about? What's a Sekirei?" the veils attacked him again and any thought of her answering his question was out of question. Still, he persisted." Why did you attack those people?"

"It's none of your concern."

The human would not be put down so lightly. Their battle resumed, one side having the advantage due to her ignorance to what he was, and her injuries from her fight with Natsu. Without warning, the veils slashed him like whips and he found himself cringing in pain as they tore apart his new shirt and embedded them into his skin. Her speed was remarkable and he almost believed this woman could give Gin a run for his money. His hands connected with a part of the veil and without warning, pulled hard. The woman yelped in surprise as she was sent barreling toward him. His fist landed under her jaw in a perfect uppercut and she was sent spiraling into the streets again.

The minute she hit the pavement, his hands reached for the deep wounds in his back. Two diagonal cuts stretched down from his shoulder to lower back. Had he been a normal human, he had no doubt that he would've been ripped apart or died very soon afterwards. He gave a look to the struggling veil woman." I don't want to fight you."

"Shut up." She hissed at him. A feeling of intense heat spread through her body and she collapsed onto the pavement before desperately trying to move again.

Tsukune frowned." You didn't want to kill them…" he persisted, moving closer in attempt to aid her. His hand grabbed his chest as that warm feeling overtook him again." I don't want to fight you… don't make me hurt you…" he begged quietly. He didn't regret saving that young couple. He regretted what was happening to his body. It was starting to become difficult to move.

"I said SHUT UP!" she sprung forward with alarming speed. She tackled him viciously and he smashed into a truck nearby, tipping it over with her still on top of him. Practically trying to ram a hole in his chest, she rained punch after punch as the rain fell upon them and Tsukune took blow after blow. Tsukune hacked blood as her fist rammed into his chest with unexpected force. Blood dribbled down his lips and he caught both fists before they could do anymore damage.

He glared at her." Stop fighting me. This isn't something you want to do." She struggled viciously and managed to flip them over enough to smash his back into the ground again. This wasn't a fight anymore as Tsukune had come to realize. It felt more like restraining a wild animal trapped in a corner. Lightning flashed across the night skies and Tsukune felt the telltale concern of mass killing intent centered on him.

Without thinking he rammed his knees into her gut. She gasped in pain and blood spilled from her lips onto his cheek. He pushed her off him and flung her into the side of the nearest building. She slowly slid onto the ground, her blood painting the stone sides of the building. The woman's vision was beginning to darken, and without her realizing it, tears began to spill down her cheeks. She had failed… and with her gone, there was nothing that would prevent her employer from finishing off her friend. Yet despite that failure, that intense heat only grew hotter and shame flooded her being.

Tsukune grunted in pain, his chest heaving in exertion. Belmont slipped from around his waist and fell onto the street without a sound. The brunette was too tired to care as his Vampiric energy resided back into his body. Red slit eyes faded to his normal brown and his hair darkened to its original color. Even now, he could feel the vampire regeneration healing the wounds on his body. The hot feeling in chest flared like the sun, reminding him that he had an unknown condition.

Quite sobs reached his ears and he gave the woman who had received a rather nasty beat down a sad glance. He knew this wasn't something she wanted. Without any care for his well-being, he slowly trudged forward, blood racing down his side.

The veiled woman's tears refused to stop, no matter how much she inwardly protested. She had gone through so much together with Chiho and now, she couldn't even save herself, let alone the only person that had earned her love, despite rejecting it due to her disease. She nearly jumped in surprise when a warm, soft hand, tilted her chin upward.

Two sets of eyes met each other. To the veiled woman's shock, the man's features had changed to a much softer appearance. Eyes weren't as red as they should have been, but an amber brown color filled with kindness, not pity or the terrifying anger they had before. His eyes weren't as narrowed nor his face much as stern. He looked so gentle to her confused gaze.

He smiled gently." Let's get you to a hospital." Without warning, he carefully picked her up bridal style. The veiled woman's eyes widened in shock as he began to walk in the direction that her targets had went. Why hadn't he killed her? She had attacked him with the intent to kill him. Yet this man wasn't showing hate or spite, merely kindness. He hadn't wanted to fight with her, only help her.

What was this feeling within her? Her body felt unnaturally hot, and a strong blush overtook her cheeks. What was this urge to claim him the more she looked at his kind visage? Brown eyes widened in realization and the hotness only increased in heat._ Think of Chiho…_ she desperately pleaded and yet despite those pleas, the veiled woman's resistance crumbled the minute brown eyes looked into hers. She had never thought this day would come again, and yet, it had. How could one fight possibly come to this? How could this ma…boy, affect her so much? Her heart ached without reason

Tsukune gave her a worried look." Are you okay miss – MPH!"

She clasped her weakened arms behind his neck and brought her lips with more force than what was available for her body. Her tongue trailed the insides of his mouth wildly while he was too stunned to react. Her tongue slipped caressed the walls of his mouth and her body was pressed tightly against his. He couldn't resist her advances and gave himself into the kiss. That warm feeling his chest expanded strongly and he felt a wave of emotions that weren't his own filled with sadness, confusion, shame, elation, happiness, and contentment .To his surprise, a glowing white light came from her back in the shape of wings and deep inside, he felt something change within him. Brown eyes met his pleadingly and he found himself unable to resist and recaptured her lips once more. The only thought going through his mind_, Dear Kami, my first kiss was to a girl who beat the living hell out of me… wait that would've happened anyway. Dear Kami, I just got my first kiss from a girl that wasn't any of the girls at Yokai Academy… Moka-san's going to kill me!_

The woman was in a state of ecstasy, despite the feelings of betrayal wedged into her mind. The more she gave herself to him, the less she thought about the one she believed she abandoned and more about the man whose arms she was in. The young man couldn't explain the warm feeling that flowed through his body, or why he was responding to an unknown woman's affections. In his mind, he felt as if he was betraying Moka, but in his heart, this moment felt right.

The veiled woman gently pulled away, panting, and her chest rose and fell with each tired breath. A thin line of saliva connected from their lips and her turmoil filled brown eyes softened to an emotion Tsukune had only seen once before and oddly enough, it was from a succubus.

She rested her soft hand against his cheek and he unconsciously nuzzled it." Uzume…#10… You are my Ashikabi…now and forever." Her head lolled to the side and she passed out. Tsukune just stared at her face. The veil had fallen away, revealing brown hair and a beautiful face that belonged to a goddess. The feeling came without warning and his legs gave out from beneath him. He moved to the side and landed on his back, preventing the unconscious woman on his chest from receiving further damage.

His vision darkened as everything finally caught up with him at once. His heart beat was loud in his ears and his moved to the side. His breathing was shallow and as his eyes began to close, he saw a figure garbed in black land directly in front of him. The stranger had familiar silver hair." _Kagari_…" he mumbled. His eyes rolled back and he slumped into the darkness. Belmont faded from existence.

XxXxXxX

The morning sun invaded the room through the open windows within it. Light shined on his prone form and he moaned pitifully as dull aches moved throughout his body. His back throbbed with shadows of what had transpired before and if he could turn around, he would see the newest scars added to his collection. When he was a full human, he had come to terms with how fragile and easily damaged he could become. The fact that while he was in his vampire state when he received his newest injuries bewildered him. He had suspected that the two women weren't human and actually Yokai. But what kind of Yokai could so much damage that it felt like Inner Moka had kicked him across the school yard.

He could feel the sun shining over his eyes and he closed them tightly, mumbling something incoherently, grabbing the nearest thing and pulling it close to him. His eyes were tightly close even though he had come to realize that he wasn't lying on the street pavement from the night before, but the softness of a futon, his futon if the familiar feeling of light tears on his back was any indication.

Something soft caressed his cheek and a small smile spread on his lips as he tried to fall back asleep. The night from before rushed back to him and his eyes snapped open in alarm. Why wasn't he on the streets in a bloody mess and where in the hell was he? Brown eyes scanned the room around him and he realized that the room was his back at Izumo Inn. But that was impossible. Was last night only a dream? And what kept touching his face possessively. He turned his head slightly to the left and he stared quietly at the soft hand touching his face. His eyes followed the hand to the arm and to the chest. A blush lightly filled his cheeks and he strained his eyes upward._ I refuse to become Gin!_

He gasped softly. The same brown eyes from the night before gazed into his own and the events from earlier played through his mind. He remembered the fight clearly, and the feeling of soft lips upon his own. Unknowingly, the alarm left his eyes and they softened." Uzume-san…" he murmured quietly, remembering the name from the night before. The name itself sounded nice and if the small smile on her lips were of any concern, she approved that he remembered." The fight…"_ There's a girl in my futon and she isn't beating the hell out of me…_

"You won." She answered quietly, her hand never leaving his face. Her face was troubled and Tsukune couldn't help but feel she was a bit shy. Either that or the situation was awkward for her, considering she was in his futon and in her nightwear… and why wasn't he freaking out right now? He wasn't uncomfortable in the slightest and that in itself was slightly nerve wracking." You saved those people and now you are my Ashikabi, Tsukune-kun."

Tsukune sent her a bewildered look." There's that word again… and how do you know my name, Uzume-san?" Takashi was one of these, "Ashikabi," if what Natsu had said was actually true.

She scooted back slightly to give him some space." I know who you are because we both live in the same Inn. I was going to introduce myself, but I was busy and had to leave." She admitted, her brown eyes purposely avoiding his." As for your other question… maybe it would be better I explained it from the beginning –"Tsukune's cell phone rung loudly in his pocket and he rolled onto his side, his hands wrapping around it.

He raised an eyebrow." This is an MBI number…" before he could even hit the talk button, his screen came to life and the image of a familiar white haired man came into view." Hiroto Minaka..."

"Congratulations, Aono Tsukune. You've recently become the Ashikabi of that Sekirei with you." The president of MBI sat patiently in his chair as Tsukune's eyes widened in shock while Uzume averted her eyes from the phone guiltily.

"How do you know who –"

Minaka grinned." Ah, Number 10, you're looking well. How are you doing this fine evening." The woman seemed even more nervous and Minaka cackled internally. She had a reason to be, but he wasn't the man to hold grudges. After all, she just made the game more interesting.

Uzume smiled nervously." I am well, Professor."

Tsukune spun around." You know the president of MBI?" he asked in surprise. The woman scooted closer to him before he could react. She placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it gently.

"The Professor was one of my caretakers before I found you." She answered truthfully." He'll explain everything to you, including what happened last night." She was tense and obviously nervous. He didn't really even know this girl so why was she so scared?

Minaka seemed amused." So Number 10 didn't tell you what she brought you into, or what she was?" before Tsukune could retort and explain what had happened, the man continued." I shall explain it to you. A long time ago, Gods lived in a place called the Origins of Heaven."

"Gods," Tsukune repeated skeptically._ Is that guy playing a joke on me?_

"Yes, Gods," Minaka glared almost childishly." One day, a ship carrying their treasures descended from the heavens onto Earth. It was called the Amenoiwa. Before you ask, no one found out about the ship because I was the first to find it. On that ship were one hundred and eight Sekireis, including Uzume there next to you."

Tsukune had spent a long time reshaping his beliefs so he could truly believe that Yokai were around him at every corner in his school career, and now could probably believe that any fairy-tale most likely had some truth to it. While he could acknowledge the fact that monsters did indeed exist, this man was telling him that apparently, so did aliens. He was telling him that the beautiful girl next to him was in fact, an alien. He turned his head toward Uzume and she nodded her head in agreement with the white haired man on the screen. She was confirming that she wasn't human._ There's no way…_

"These Sekirei must fight." Minaka went on, snapping Tsukune out of his thoughts." These Sekirei must fight for the Ashikabi they chose, and the last Ashikabi standing will win the game that you are now a participant of, whether you want to be or not. When the last of the Ashikabi ascends, they will hold the very fate of the world in their hands. The game that you are now a part of is called the Sekirei Plan and I am its game master."

Tsukune's frown deepened. He was taking this rather calmly. Last year, he probably would've ran around like a chicken with its head cut off." You're telling me that because she kissed me, I'm a part of a battle royal that will decide the fate of the world."_ Man, it feels like I stepped out of a monster manga and into another._

Minaka laughed." Of course! Now before I forget. Number 10, your past transgressions have been forgiven as you were only an accessory for the actual thief. Feel free to visit MBI at any time. As for you, Aono-kun, The Sekirei plan is a highly confidential secret project that can only be known by MBI and the Ashikabi. If you attempt to inform anyone who is not an Ashikabi or MBI official, MBI will hunt you down… goodbye!" with that rather ominous message, the screen turned black and the room was silent again._ Was everything he told me… the truth? Am I really a part of another world again?_

Uzume spoke." I am a Sekirei. An Ashikabi is considered our destined one, the only person that we can truly love and be with." Tsukune's face was blank as he stared at her, but inside, he was groaning terribly. It was like Kurumu all over again." Our Ashikabi is the person we will dedicate our whole live to, and who we will spend our time with forever."

"Why do you need an Ashikabi?" his tone was emotionless, only a hint of curiosity escaping him. He was still trying to take it all in." What is the actual relationship and can you get another one."_ Is there a way I can get out of this game?_

Uzume winced painfully." An Ashikabi is the only person that can love us and only we can love in return. When a Sekirei kisses his or her Ashikabi, they become winged and a bond is forever formed with them. We can read each other's emotions and the Sekireis power will increase dramatically." He nodded. It could explain why he could feel her nervousness. She had created a bond between them." The relationship between a Sekirei and an Ashikabi is up for both to decide. The Sekirei had an undying loyalty to their Ashikabi and will give everything they have, even their life to protect their beloved."

Tsukune gave her a look." You didn't tell me if you could get another one or not." The bond became more apparent when he felt a spike of pain from her end. It felt as if someone's heart was breaking.

Her throat hitched." N-no, I cannot receive another Ashikabi. When my current Ashikabi dies… I will die," Tsukune's skin had paled dramatically and any anger he may have felt toward the woman disappeared and transformed into horror. Their lives were forever entwined. If he lost control and someone killed the ghoul… this woman he knew nothing about would die as well.

"Why…?" he asked quietly.

Uzume voice cracked." What?"

Tsukune slammed his hand onto the floor." Why would you **choose me**?" he demanded." I'm **average**, no one of **importance**! An Ashikabi is supposed to be someone important. You don't even **know **me! Why would you pick me as your **life partner** when you know the process is **irreversible**?" he felt the hurt on the other side of the bond and pain swelled in his chest. It was like the girls back at school. Why did this happen to him? What did he do to deserve it?

"I-I'm sorry." He looked up in surprise._ I-is she crying?_ Hot tears were racing down her cheeks." Maybe I should just leave…" she said softly, pure emotion dripping from her words." I shouldn't have just barged in on your life, especially after we were fighting. For all I know, you have a girl back home and I didn't even ask you if you wanted to be my Ashikabi and maybe it would be better if I just left –"strong arms pulled her into a hard chest and wrapped around her in a comforting embrace." W-what are you doing?"

"Stop crying," he pleaded gently, rubbing small circles on her back." You're feeling so much pain right now and I don't like it. I want you to be happy."

"B-but –"

He hugged her tighter." Hush, Uzume-chan." He commanded quietly." I would like it if my Sekirei stopped acting like she was just going to walk out my life."

Uzume was bewildered. "Tsukune-kun, I-I –, "soft lips pressed to her own and her eyes widened in shock. For several moments, she didn't respond. When she finally realized what had happened, white light burst from her back in the shape of wings and she eagerly returned the kiss, tears falling down her cheeks rapidly.

Tsukune didn't know what he was doing. He collapsed onto his back, his arms wrapped tightly around Uzume's waist, his hands resting on her lower back. He couldn't believe what he was doing. He was kissing a girl that wasn't Moka, and he was completely okay with it. All he knew was that this girl loved him more than anything in the world and she was hurting. The girls would kill him when he got back to school, that much was certain, but he would deal with the consequences later.

Even as he kissed Uzume, his heart still told him that he loved Moka-san, but it also told him that there was room for Uzume as well. She was his Sekirei and he, her Ashikabi. She was **destined** to be with him and be at his side. He would've been content with a friendly relationship with her, but she wanted more and he couldn't deny her that. It was those thoughts that sealed the bond.

Uzume pulled away panting." Why?" why would he do this? She probably ruined his whole life and here he goes, kissing her. It didn't make any sense. He wasn't angry, or depressed like he was before. He was smiling gently at her and it made it feel like everything was going to be okay.

"An Ashikabi has to stand by his Sekirei, right?" Tsukune stated/asked." Then that's what I will do." He took a look at his phone and read the time. It was seven-o- clock in the morning, far too early to be up. He was in the Inn, so it wasn't like he had to go anywhere. He offered a small grin." It's too early to be up right now and I really don't have the patience to ask how we got here in the first place."

"Bedtime?" she offered hesitantly.

"Bedtime," He confirmed. With that said, he snuggled back under the blankets, expecting her to leave and go back to her room. What he didn't expect was for her to snuggle into his chest and wrap her arms around him._ Dear Kami…_ a light dribble of blood flowed out of his nose. Her large chest was pressing into his._ It's so soft… Bad Tsukune, Bad!_ He stiffened for a moment. Why wasn't she going back to his room? This was highly inappropriate. He gave her a concerned look but she was already asleep, soft snores escaping her prone form. How many times had he dreamed of doing this with Moka? He shook his head; it was bad to think about other girls when he had one in his arms. He sighed. There was no use freaking out about it. Compared to the rest of his life, this was considerably tame._ When in Rome, do as the Romans do._

He pulled her form closer to his body and reveled in its warmth. His eyes closed and soon, he joined her in the realm of dreams, memories of his friends dancing in his dreams, and now… the smiling visage of a brunette hugging him happily. He smiled.

XxXxXxX

His dreams weren't filled with the horrors of blood and battle. They were filled with a pleasant night sky and a woman covered in a silk veil, holding on to him tightly. The bond between Sekirei and Ashikabi was there and it became more apparent when he realized he was holding Uzume in his arms. It was foreign concept to him, being alone in bed with someone of the opposite gender. Soft skin pressed eagerly against his flesh and her body molded perfectly with his. If his blushing face was any indication, he could tell she was very much a woman. The neckline of her nightgown had fallen lower and its contents had nearly spilled out. He forced his eyes to look upward. It'd due well not to be accused of being a pervert this early in the morning. It was nine in the morning and he still couldn't find it within himself to get up. Not that he could if he tried. Uzume's grip on his arm was rather tight and he was beginning to lose circulation in it.

Uzume woke to a warm feeling burrowing deeply in her chest. Her body was pressed firmly against the body of her Ashikabi and half lidded brown eyes took in the scene of how close they were. Her legs were thrown over his and her head was resting just under his chin, her breasts pressing against his chest. She closed her eyes, reveling in the feelings her Ashikabi gave her. With Chiho, she felt content, even with the knowledge that the young girl would never be willing to wing her. She had believed that the disease ridden girl would be the one for her and that she would never react to anyone else. Yet this… man… yes, it would be more appropriate to call him a man. No _boy_ would ever be able to make her feel this way.

She cherished the warmth emitting from his body and could tell from the bond alone, his soul was pure. It was like his presence alone put her in some sort of natural high. It was absolutely exhilarating. She could feel everything about him from his touch alone._ He isn't human._ It was something she had concluded the minute those gorgeous red eyes of his met hers the night before. No human could fight a Sekirei and beat him or her, even if the Sekirei was wounded. She was amazed and curious of what exactly he was. She would never pry though. Her Ashikabi's secrets belonged to him and him alone. He would tell her when he wanted to and not a minute before. If she had been paying attention, she would have realized that her beloved Ashikabi was watching her reactions with both curiosity and amusement.

_She's like a cat._ Tsukune mused. It was interesting, watching several different emotions flicker on her face at such a rapid pace. She was sad for a second, and then that sadness evaporated to so much happiness that he thought she'd explode. He was flattered. No one had ever reacted like that to his touch. Not even the girls acted like that when he touched them._ The girls…_

Guilt

The girls would be so upset with him when he returned. How would he explain to them that he was this girl's real destined one? Would they still want to be his friends? The thought of even entering a relationship with one of them had been destroyed. He was monogamous and he didn't want to seem like some playboy if he even attempted to flirt with one of them, not that he would. He was still rather a chicken when it came to things like that. Her squirming was starting to get a _reaction_ from him and he thought it best if they got out of this futon right now before someone made an unwanted appearance.

He smiled." You awake, Uzume-chan?" she almost swooned like a schoolgirl. His voice was so gentle and his chest rumbled against her. It was a pleasant feeling. Did all Sekirei feel this way with their chosen one? If so, they were the luckiest of races.

She picked her head up, snuggling into his chin with a happy smile on her face." Good morning, my Ashikabi." She stretched her arms out, mewing quietly as her back popped. She sighed pleasantly and kissed his nose, making him blink." Sleep well?"

"I slept with you, didn't I?" the words came out of his mouth before he even had time to react and his face lit up like a Christmas tree. Uzume blinked before a mischievous grin spread across her face. She pressed her body against his suggestively and he groaned. Blood seeped out of his nose._ It's like Kurumu all over again!_

Her grin was sultry." It's good to know that my body is womanly enough for my Ashikabi." His nosebleed only grew larger and she chuckled with amusement." I like waking up to you too,_ all_ of you." For all his experience with most of his friends being beautiful, he would never be able to flirt with a woman like this. If she didn't stop, he'd pass out like some sex starved Otaku. He didn't need that kind of embarrassment.

"We should probably get up, Uzume-chan." He suggested halfheartedly. He didn't want this feeling to end, but he didn't want to embarrass himself by having the landlady barge into his room while a woman slept with him. He didn't know that she agreed for the same reasons, even if they were a bit different than hers. She didn't want to introduce Tsukune to the Hannya mask. He didn't deserve that kind of trauma yet. Now maybe if he made her mad…

Uzume nodded." You're probably right." She got off the futon, stretching as she stood up. He groaned in disappointment the minute her body heat left his. He would've protested like a small child if his eyes hadn't wandered up her form the minute she began to stretch. She grinned wickedly but didn't say anything. Her Ashikabi was attracted to her. That was a good thing. She'd enjoy breaking his will in these couple weeks." I'm going to go take a bath. Don't peak." She warned playfully and sashayed out of the room.

Tsukune sighed. Last night was just a spur of the moment thing. She really wasn't shy at all. He bowed his head. He had his hands full with her and this Sekirei Plan that was for sure.

XxXxXxX

He had been putting on one of his new blazers when Miya stepped into his room. The older woman (even if she didn't look it) was wearing a variation of the purple hakama and white haori from yesterday and Tsukune couldn't help but wonder if that was all she wore.

She brushed a purple strand away from her eyes." Ah, you're awake." She said in surprise. Tsukune raised an eyebrow." Kagari brought you home last night. I thought you went to bed. Did something happen that you had to leave?"

"Kagari lives here?" Tsukune was surprised. So he was the man Tsukune had seen before he fell into unconsciousness. An ominous cold filled the room and Tsukune slowly returned his attention to the landlady. She was probably the most terrifying human he had ever met. A monstrous Hannya mask floated behind her and a purple, evil aura enveloped her body. Tsukune found himself shaking in fright. This woman was human and she was scarier than Inner Moka._ What the hell is that!_

She glared wickedly." Yes, Kagari lives here and you can tell me how you know him when you explain to me why one of my tenants was passed out in the streets covered in blood." Her voice was dangerously sweet and her glare was replaced with a smile that just made her look all the more terrifying.

"S-s-sorry if I worried you, M-Miya-san." He was nearly a grown man and he was trembling like a small child in front of her. Had it been anyone else, he would have found the situation humiliating.

"**Well?"**

Tsukune flinched." I just went out for a walk, to clear my head. I may have gotten jumped last night, but I really can't remember." His trembling stopped the minute the cold air disappeared. The sweet smile was replaced with a worried frown.

Miya shook her head." Well you should be more careful. Shinto Teito can be rough sometimes at night." She shook her head." Imagine my surprise when Kagari walks home, carrying your body covered in blood. You certainly know how to make a good impression."

"Sorry, Miya-san." He bowed his head." I didn't mean to worry you." He was confused on why they hadn't mentioned Uzume. Had she left before Kagari took him away? He paled. Did that mean Kagari saw all his scars or his regenerative abilities? Miya wasn't looking at him strangely, so maybe Kagari hadn't mentioned it?

Miya gave him strange look." All is forgiven. I was just surprised as all. Now come. You can tell me how you know Kagari over breakfast."

"You didn't have to make me breakfast!" Tsukune protested weakly.

Miya smiled." Is there a problem?" that cold aura was beginning to resurface.

Tsukune waved his hands frantically." N-no! It's perfectly fine! I'm shutting up now!" the woman's smile grew pleasant and that scary feeling disappeared in an instant. The woman turned around and left the room with a satisfied smirk. Tsukune sighed. Why were all the women in his life scary? He adjusted his tie before leaving the room after her. He really didn't want to feel her wrath right now.

Where was Minato when he needed him?

**In the Manga and the Anime for Sekirei, the bond is actually formed very quickly and damn do the relationship moves fast. So if anyone complains, well you know the reasons. As for Tsukune responding... He's a hormonal teenage boy who is taking responsibility for what he's done. I bet everyone can imagine the reactions of everyone at Yokai Academy, especially his little "harem".**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own R+V or Sekirei**

**AN: Get this guys, I have 112 followers, 80 favorites, one community and wait for it… 20 reviews. C'mon guys, give me the encouragement I need to continue on with this story. Guardian of the Hunters: Legacy, and this one are my main priorities but I can't get them done if you guys don't motivate me to get off my ass and provide.**

**There is a Poll in my profile for Tsukune's remaining Sekirei. He'll have a total of four Sekirei and one person from Yokai Academy. Yokai Academy is staying canon like so you can guess who the love interest there is.**

**Chapter 3**

**Ghoul + Sickly Girl**

**Miya shook her head." Well you should be more careful. Shinto Teito can be rough sometimes at night." She shook her head." Imagine my surprise when Kagari walks home, carrying your body covered in blood. You certainly know how to make a good impression."**

"**Sorry, Miya-san," He bowed his head." I didn't mean to worry you." He was confused on why they hadn't mentioned Uzume. Had she left before Kagari took him away? He paled. Did that mean Kagari saw all his scars or his regenerative abilities? Miya wasn't looking at him strangely, so maybe Kagari hadn't mentioned it?**

**Miya gave him strange look." All is forgiven. I was just surprised as all. Now come. You can tell me how you know Kagari over breakfast."**

"**You didn't have to make me breakfast!" Tsukune protested weakly.**

**Miya smiled." Is there a problem?" that cold aura was beginning to resurface.**

**Tsukune waved his hands frantically." N-no! It's perfectly fine! I'm shutting up now!" the woman's smile grew pleasant and that scary feeling disappeared in an instant. The woman turned around and left the room with a satisfied smirk. Tsukune sighed. Why were all the women in his life scary? He adjusted his tie before leaving the room after her. He really didn't want to feel her wrath right now.**

**Where was Minato when he needed him?**

**Chapter: 3**

It was official; nothing in the world could possibly ever surprise him again. Fate must have taken one look at him and decided that he was going to be her punching bag for the foreseeable future.

The true consequences of what he had managed to get himself in too didn't really kick in until he saw his cousin walk in the door with a rather curvaceous brunette carrying a green bag as big as a car. He chose to keep himself hidden till they settled in and think about what he just saw. His gut was doing somersaults and he felt a little queasy as he realized that the Aono luck was really starting to make itself known. His _human_ cousin had gotten himself involved in a death defying battle royal of attractive men and scantily clad women.

It was like he never left Yokai Academy.

He forced a smile on his face as his eyes followed Miya opening the door to greet the latest additions to Maison Izumo. He held the _Nosferatu_ tightly in his hands, his arms shaking with barely restrained anger. He had no problem doing this game. But his cousin was a human. He could die. He growled. He was being a hypocrite and he knew it. He saw the way his cousin watched that girl as they struggled to get in the room because of the kami forsaken bag getting stuck in the doorway. His eyes were exactly like his own the first time he set his eyes on Moka.

Aono men had the worst luck.

He sat down on the stairs, his brown eyes roving the contents of the _Nosferatu _hungrily like a starved animal. The situation had changed because of his cousin's involvement. He couldn't just be adequate enough to protect himself from Yokai anymore. He needed to be more powerful than them. He needed to be a greater demon. He needed to get to the point where not even a Sekirei could stand to beat him. He was no fool. Uzume's defeat at his hands was a mere fluke. She was far too tired and injured to prove any threat to his wellbeing. Had she been at full health when they battled, he honestly believed that he would have died.

Her power before was on comparison to Hokuto's, of whom had defeated Tsukune and would have killed him had Inner Moka not intervened. But now, after they winged… Uzume's power far exceeded his own. He wasn't ashamed that the woman was powerful. He was ashamed that she was more powerful than he was. That was not to say that he was sexist in anyway, but he didn't want to be protected. He wanted to fight on the battlefield alongside his friends. He couldn't allow the situation to degenerate to what he had at Yokai Academy. The girls never allowed him to fight due to the possibility of the Ghoul influencing him.

He had felt something during his fight against Uzume. She had not fought him as skillfully as she should have, despite the injury. She was fighting like a rabid animal trapped in a corner, or a mother bear that was defending her child. She didn't seem like the type of person to go out and commit murder on several other Sekirei. Then again, Moka didn't seem like a cute girl that sucked his blood for kicks.

He could feel Inner Moka's disapproving glare and she wasn't even in the room with him. Sometimes he wondered what she thought of him. Did she care for him at all?_ The truth is, Tsukune… I wanted to be with you longer…_ he closed his eyes. Of course she did, even if she would never admit it. Just because she cared for him though, didn't mean that she loved him. How could he stand by any woman in his life if he was so damn pathetically weak? He clenched his fists. That would change.** It had to.**

"Ara," Miya giggled quietly, kicking him out of his depressing musings. He raised an eyebrow in amusement at the strangeness of the scene in front of him. Minato's Sekirei (Or she was just a ridiculously strong girl. He was betting on the latter,) smiled happily while Miya acted like there was nothing wrong with the scene in front of her." Welcome home. I've been expecting you. Please, come inside."

Minato nodded." Thank you. We appreciate it." The raven haired male stepped inside with his overpowered companion. Grey eyes found brown in a matter of seconds." Tsukune," Minato exclaimed." You were here this whole time?"

Miya smiled." Ara, when you left before he arrived, it was already late at night so I offered him a room to stay in." Tsukune nodded in agreement, slightly miffed that his cousin had left without him.

"Thank you." Minato bowed his head in thanks. He gave his cousin an apologetic look." I didn't expect you to head immediately to the inn. I'm sorry, Tsukune."

Tsukune waved off the apology with an air of nonchalance." It's fine. The company here was nice and Miya-dono made me dinner so it's not like I starved or anything." His claim wasn't much supported when his stomach chose that moment to growl loudly. The delicious breakfast he had before was gone, leaving his stomach pitifully empty." You're a strong one, aren't you?" he gave the woman with Minato an apprising glance.

She beamed. "That's because I'm a fist type Sekirei –MPH!"

"Musubi-chan, confidentiality, confidentiality," Minato hissed. He was completely unaware of the slight narrowing of Tsukune's eyes, or the light of amusement in the eyes of the landlady. Tsukune unconsciously clenched his fists. His earlier suspicions were proven correct.

He forced a smile on his face." A fist type…"

Miya however, giggled behind her hand." You're so funny." Tsukune and Minato both sighed in relief. It seemed like she was willing to dash off any odd comments aside without a bat of an eye. It made them wonder how she was so used to it.

Tsukune closed his eyes. If this _Musubi_ was a fist type, what did that make Uzume? Was she a veil type then? Apparently the chairman of MBI and his own Sekirei forgot to mention some things to him." It's nice to meet you, Musubi-san. I'm his younger cousin, Tsukune."

"Ah! You're Minato-san's cousin? My name is Musubi." She greeted cheerfully and Tsukune smiled in return. She was bouncing on the balls of her feet and held innocent eyes. In a sense, she reminded him of Yukari, without the brain or pervert nonsense. She held that same childlike demeanor and outlook on life. It was a refreshing change to the dreary atmosphere he was used to dealing with.

He turned to Minato." So it's like that, huh?" his lips spread into a wide grin." I get it now."

Minato's eyes widened." No you don't! This is not what it looks like."

"So when you abandoned me last night, it was so you could spend the night with your girlfriend?"

"That is so not what happened –"

Tsukune hummed noncommittally." No, it's alright. I won't shun you for dishonoring the bro code." Leaving Minato to sputter incoherently, he gave Musubi a bright grin." Musubi-san, please take care of my cousin. He gets in trouble a lot."

"I do not!"

His teasing ended when he caught sight of Miya's amused eyes." You two are so funny." She giggled." Minato-san, Musubi-san, let me show you to your room so you may unpack. It must be tiring for Musubi to hold that entire luggage while you two men do nothing. Shameful,"

Tsukune nodded sagely." Shameful," he agreed." Obasan raised you better than that." Minato's face reddened as his cousin's scolding went full force. It really was like when they were kids again.

He bowed his head." Sorry, landlady-dono."

* * *

This day was one of the strangest he had ever had.

Immediately after Miya had taken his cousin and Musubi to their room, the giant bag got stuck in the wall. No, he did not laugh like a child on drugs, nor did he cry while laughing.

That didn't happen at all.

He adjusted his blazer again. The blasted thing was far too tight for his body and he had inkling that the ladies at the host club just wanted something to ogle. He didn't know how, he wasn't fit enough to ogle. Uzume and Kurumu might say different, but they're obviously biased. He tightened his tie, finding it too loose around his neck. He was slightly ashamed to find that he's barely talked with his cousin since he arrived.

Not to say it was his fault with them moving the day after he arrived at his old apartment, but he had come to spend time with Minato, not involve himself in a battle royal. He chuckled lightly at the sound of Minato cursing. _He must've dropped something heavy._ Knowing his cousin and how much stuff was in that bag Musubi was carrying, it would take them a good while to finish. He wasn't complaining.

He took out the _Nosferatu _once more. There were some aspects to having vampire powers that he still didn't know about or understand so now was the time to actually see if he could use them. The door to his room wasn't locked and unfortunately he couldn't lock it. He had no doubt of the possibility of Uzume coming into his room because she felt something odd. He even suspected Miya herself would as well. She was a strange one, filled with power he held no understanding over. His brown eyes eagerly scanned over the introduction. He frowned. The introduction itself was merely the reasoning behind why the book was created and the history of the vampires. He had no time to actually read all of it, despite how interesting of a read it might be. He flipped over the Yōki section and the vampire body.

_In order for a young vampire to use the Blood properly, they must first come to terms with the dual energies residing in their body. The body holds one hundred and nine different threads that channel Yōki through the muscles so that the vampire may be able to use their powers. Without the one hundred nine points, the vampire would be essentially useless. Fortunately, the body can be separated into four points in which Yōki moves differently than the others._

_Buraddo: Gēto is located within the heart and is the source of our demonic powers and abilities. It transfers the demonic energy pumping from the heart directly into the muscles and bones much like a river and stream coming from the great lake that is their source. Without Gēto, the vampire would be unable to access any of the Yōki in its body. Dhampir are in an unfortunate position because they cannot access Buraddo and are forced to use a bastardized version called, Hāfuburaddo which harms their body the more they use it. Once a vampire taps into its once, it becomes instinctive to use it without thinking about it._

He looked on with an interested gleam in his eyes. It seemed like these names were much older than they appeared to be based on how warn the paper was to the book. He had never heard Moka refer to her blood and powers using Buraddo as a name. He could only guess that the name itself was archaic and wasn't practiced anymore. He placed his hand at his chest. Since he was a Vampiric ghoul, was it safe to assume that his heart pumped vampire blood instead of that of humans? It seemed plausible. If anything, he could most likely tap into Hāfuburaddo instead of Gēto itself.

_Buraddo: Ribā is located in the brain and is the source of a vampire's intelligence. It gifts the vampire with the ability to relax their bodies and gathering all the information without focusing their attention on the source of that information. It calms the mind and allows the vampire easy access into mediation if used correctly. Without Ribā, a vampire would degenerate into a Vampiric ghoul. _

His eyes twitched. He had never understood how Moka could sit there and not pay attention to the teacher and still have all the notes and a copy for him by the end of class. It seemed that all vampires could do that with ease. His lips curled up, Moka was such a cheater. His humor was shot down when he wondered what would happen if he said that to Inner Moka, playfully or not. It would probably be best not to think about it all. The pain she would probably cause would give him nightmares for weeks.

_Buraddo: Tsubasa is located within the muscles and is directly connected with Buraddo: Gēto. The demonic powers coming from Gēto would prove very harmful and tear apart the muscles within the body, ultimately destroying it. It allows the muscles to easily adapt to the Yōki pumping through it until the muscles no longer have no use of Tsubasa and can go about using it all on its own. Tsubasa tends to fade after puberty._

_Buraddo: Raifu is source of the vampire's regenerative abilities and unrivaled stamina. It forces the blood's healings abilities to activate and is the source of the immortality residing in the vampire. Cells die much slower after the twenty third year of life and virtually become nonexistent after the thirty seventh. Any wounds the vampire may receive, depending on the type of vampire, and the severity of the wound, can be healed in little of day to a week, other outside influences not included._

_Vampires no longer remember Buraddo due to their ignorance and foolish pride, Tis a shame that my own race has forgotten the old ways. But perhaps for the sake of humanity, it is better this way. Vampires of the modern period may not know of the old ways and how Yōki moves through the body, but they are still powerful and one way to increase Yōki usage is by training constantly._

Something told him Moka wouldn't like this book at all. It insulted the vampire race as a whole. He could see why the author was hesitant to publish it. One pissed off vampire was bad. The whole entire race was a massacre waiting to happen.

_In order to access Buraddo, meditation is required. The calming of the mind releases stress and reduces the chances of a young vampire injuring him or her due to accessing too much power that it proves fatal._

Tsukune frowned at the last part. He more than understood what would happen to him. His body would fall apart because he drew on too much, or his mind would degenerate to that of a ghoul and he'd kill everyone around him. He shut the book and placed it back in his blazer. As a human turned ghoul, he had no doubt that he would have a lot of difficulty accessing Buraddo. He wasn't a vampire and his body wasn't used to the Yōki being pumped from the holy lock on his wrist. He didn't know it would be easier than he thought.

Belmont was wrapped securely around his wrist. He idly wondered how it got back in his room when he was pretty sure that he had dropped it after winging Uzume. Maybe Kagari had brought it home. That train of thought left him paler than a sheet of paper. He didn't need Kagari to think he was like Ruby-chan of all people. He shook his head violently. He wasn't a masochist, he wasn't! Now was not the time to be thinking about any of that.

He gripped Belmont tightly and let out a deep breath he had been holding for a while. The holy lock shook gently and he could feel the presence of his Yōki in his muscles. This wasn't like last night when his body was acting on instinct and ignoring the pain. He could feel the corruption pulsing invisibly on his neck and he didn't need to open his eye to know that they would resemble Moka's. The Yōki was like a wave of energy he was desperately trying to prevent from crashing down on him and alerting everyone in the house. He was more than aware of what Moka's presence did to people and how far away they could feel her power. He didn't need the neighborhood going crazy because he lost control.

The muscles in his forearms and biceps flexed and clenched painfully multiple times like they were trying to forcefully push his energy through them. Had he been a lesser man, he would have cried out in agony. There was no stress relief the more he pushed into his mind and he was beginning to think that he had Hāfuburaddo instead of Buraddo like a vampire. He bared his teeth, long elongated fangs peeking out from under his lips, giving him a feral appearance. A bead of sweat trailed down the back of his neck and he whimpered painfully. His Gēto had to be there. _ Wait a moment._ Gēto was located in the heart… so that is where he needed to concentrate. He was a human who couldn't access Gēto naturally like a vampire child could. He would have to force his concentration on Gēto so that Buraddo could fully function.

His attention was focused on his chest where his heart thumped like a drum. It was a slow, agonizing process, but his efforts bore fruit. The pain had disappeared and his muscles were able to relax as the Yōki that was trying to force its way through calmly slithered through the openings it was allowed. He would have screamed for joy had no one been in the house.

He was by no means a master if trying to tap into that power without instincts alone was painful, but now that he knew how to do it, he could practice it without wounding himself. He took a glance at Belmont with curious red eyes. Belmont allowed access to his power without the use of the holy lock, not how to use it. Sooner or later, it would prove to be a crutch. The headmaster did say there would be a point in time when he didn't need it anymore. For now, this would be the best he could get. At least Uzume or Miya hadn't rushed upstairs so he must have done a good job of hiding it.

Someone opened the door.

Brown eyes met Red.

_I walked right into that one._

"Tsukune-kun?" there it was. It was that tone of voice that made Tsukune look and feel like an asshole. Uzume's brown eyes were filled with concern and beads of sweat ran down the side of her head." Are you alright? I felt something weird and went looking for you."

He swallowed." I-I'm fine, Uzume-chan."

Her eyes narrowed and she placed her hands on her hips." Don't lie to me, Ashikabi-koi. This bond does more than keep us together forever." Her attitude was understandable enough and the truth in her words was easily visible to Tsukune. It didn't seem like he would be able to hide anything from her. She blinked as she took in the color of his eyes again." They're red." She murmured." Just like last time."

"Well… there's an easy explanation for that." she raised an eyebrow in curiosity and sat next to him, leaving no little than two inches of space between them. She had already seen his abilities once and the secret was already blown from the second night he had spent here. He might as well give her the benefit of the doubt, considering she's going to be with him for the rest of his life." I will warn you, it's not going to sound like a believable story."

"I trust you, Koibito."

Tsukune blanched. There it was again, that strange warm feeling that erupted in his chest because she referred to him by something so affectionate, despite knowing each other for only a day. Did the Sekirei bond really affect her that much, or him for that matter? Any other day, if some woman called him and knew him for less than a day, he would have either thought they were being cruel to him or just teasing him outright. Not even Kurumu referred to him by that suffix and she called him her destined one.

Her brown eyes softened the minute she took in the raging maelstrom of emotions that filtered through the eyes of her Ashikabi. She knew exactly what he was thinking and she couldn't blame him. For her kind, the Ashikabi was both a goal and a wish. The Ashikabi was the only person they could ever be compatible with and the only person they could love freely without a doubt. For a human meeting a Sekirei, that was a lot to take in. Human mating habits were far different than theirs. They had to meet and court one another, and sometimes the relationship wasn't even guaranteed to work and they end leaving one another. In the eyes of a Sekirei, that wasn't love at all. Love was giving your devotion to your life mate because they knew it would work. If they weren't compatible, it wouldn't work. But seeing as how she reacted to Tsukune, it was guaranteed to work. Even the Ashikabi she wanted in the past could have worked.

While Sekirei could love someone that was not their Ashikabi, they would never be able to use the full extent of their powers because they could not feel the love of their Ashikabi powering them. Chiho was the young girl she had fallen for and her feelings for her still lingered. She loved her, and she loved Tsukune. That wouldn't per say mean she loved him unconditionally. While she did love him, she still needed to get to know her Ashikabi so he could truly return that _love._ It was a common misconception MBI worker made that Sekirei loved the Ashikabi they were bound to. In most cases, yes they did. If that Ashikabi was the one they reacted to, then it's guaranteed that they'll love that person. If the winging is forced however… then it isn't a relationship and the Sekirei will never truly love that Ashikabi. They would dream of their true Ashikabi with the knowledge that they could never have him or her and wallow in misery at their forced servitude.

She smiled." You don't have to tell me right away, Koibito." She brushed away a stray strand of hair." Whatever secrets you have can be told at a later date. I'm with you forever."

There she goes making him feel guilty. Something told him that she wasn't even trying to either. He sunk into the floor and closed his eyes. Could he really do this? Could he tell someone that wasn't Yokai about the Monster world and the Great Barrier that separates it? Would the chairman even allow that to happen? His eyes snapped open. If she was going to be with him forever, than the chairman would have no choice but to inform her. He'd have to call later and see if he had permission to do so.

Tsukune sighed resignedly." I'll tell you soon. It isn't something that I can really speak freely about." He admitted. Her brown eyes were filled with slight disappointment that had him feeling guilty." What I can tell you is that I'm not exactly human."

Uzume snorted in a very unladylike way." No shit. There's no human out there that can fight against a Sekirei and come out alive." He chuckled at the vulgarity and she quieted. She looked concern." You were in pain. I didn't mean to pry."

He shook his head." It's not your fault. If I wasn't so busy being irresponsible with my powers, I wouldn't have scared you like that." it surprised him how easily he was talking to her. It was comparable to how he talked with the girls at school.

She smiled." I'm supposed to be the irresponsible one. You already took responsibility." His cheeks flushed pink." You don't have to tell me anything right now. I just wanted to know why my Ashikabi's hair and eyes changed color. Oh yeah, and how he kicked my ass."

"You're stronger than me." he said suddenly, surprising her." Believe me. If you hadn't been injured the night before, I have no doubt you would have won." He scratched the back of his head sheepishly." The only reason I won was because I caught you off guard."

"And I'm glad that you did." She informed him." If you hadn't, you wouldn't have become my Ashikabi. You probably would have been a nice little bloodstain on the streets." She put her finger to her lips in a thinking pose. "A really cute bloodstain,"

"Thanks." He said dryly. He tilted his head in a questioning manner." If you don't mind me asking, why were you attacking that Sekirei and his Ashikabi? You don't seem like the person to go hunting people." Her demeanor had changed in an instant and Tsukune knew he had asked the wrong question. Her brown eyes were filled with anger and sadness, none of it directed at him. He felt horrible, but he had to man up. She was his Sekirei and he had to protect her, not the other way around. This wasn't Yokai Academy.

She tilted her eyes downward." Maybe I should just show you instead." She muttered. She gave him a pleading look." Do you have to go anywhere?"

He shook his head." No, I have time." He wrapped Belmont tightly around his waist." Why? Do you need to go somewhere?"

She nodded." It'll be the easiest way to tell you why I tried to kill you and the other two last night." She winced at the _kill_ part. Tsukune took it all in stride. It wouldn't be the first time someone killed him for some purpose he didn't know about. It also wouldn't be the first time that a woman tried to kill him and fall in love with him at the same time.

"If that's what you want to do." He smiled gently, buttoning up the rest of his blazer before standing up. He brushed off some of the lint on his slacks before offering her hand. She took it with a soft grin.

"Let's go then!" she yelled." The faster we get out of here, the more time we have before dinner." She was a woman on a mission and nothing would deter her.

"Um, Uzume-chan…"

"Yes?"

"Do you want to put some clothes on?"

"What?" she looked downward. All she was wearing was her frilly pink nightgown that exposed more leg than what should be shown. She looked back to her Ashikabi, only to see blood leaking through his hands as he covered his nose. She smirked." Do I have to?"

"There wouldn't happen to be anything illicit happening in here, would there, Uzume?" the brunette in question paled as the temperature in the room dropped. She could feel the Hannya mask behind her, and based off Tsukune's horrified expression, he could see it.

"I'll be getting dressed now!" the Sekirei ran like a bat out of hell, leaving Tsukune at Miya's mercy. The mask disappeared and Miya offered Tsukune a giggle.

"Ah, Tsukune-san, it seems I have to explain the rules to you." She giggled demurely and Tsukune paled. That laugh was terrifying. A ladle was in her hands, a ladle he was sure hadn't been there a second ago. He shrieked when the Hannya mask reappeared." Rule number one: No illicit behavior at Maison Izumo!"

The ladle went downward.

* * *

"My poor head."

"You should have followed the rules."

Miya sat calmly at the head of the table, her mouth hidden by the sleeve of her kimono as she giggled at Tsukune's antics. A dark cloud hung over his head with comical lightning blasting all around it. The usually polite and happy boy sulked like a small child.

He moaned piteously." How do you even do that?"

Miya tilted her head innocently." Do what?" the teenager groaned from his spot at the table and Miya had a difficult time keeping her laughter under control.

He picked his head up." You know exactly what I'm talking about." The dark cloud grew larger in size and the dark wails could be heard from inside. Miya would be the first to admit that it was one of the most amusing sights she had ever come across of.

"You wouldn't be accusing a poor old widow of anything malicious, would you?" that cold feeling returned and Tsukune slammed his head into the table. Miya blinked. She had people screaming in fear and running away before. She had never had Tsukune's reaction." Are you alright?"

He didn't stir.

"Ano… Tsukune-san?" she poked his head with the ladle that somehow appeared in her hands. He groaned pitifully. A satisfied smile spread across her lips, filled with some twisted sense of satisfaction." Would you like for me to fix up that nasty bruise and cut you have there?"

He knew it. All the woman in his life were evil creatures hell bent on making his life the most miserable it can possibly be. Well maybe except his mother… no she was just as evil as the rest of them. She changed his Saturday night cartoons to a soap opera channel. Maybe he should just stay a bachelor?

"Yes please."

* * *

"I don't think she likes me."

His brown eyes held mock sorrow as his Sekirei walked by his side as they made their way through the streets of Shinto Teito. His forehead held a nice long diagonal cut courtesy of a mahogany table. The landlady, after laughing herself silly, was nice enough to patch him up and wrap his head in bandages.

Uzume snorted." I leave you alone for less than five minutes and you managed to hurt yourself?"

Tsukune glared accusingly at her." You abandoned me! You would have let me die!"

"Miya never kills." Uzume retorted sagely." Only maims painfully. Oh yeah, and goes all demon on you. You should be grateful. She's nowhere near as bad with you as she is with me and Kagari. I still have that bruise on my ass from last week."

"Didn't need to know that." he muttered back, rolling his eyes in exasperation. He was so glad that he had experience with girls like Uzume or she would have reduced him to a stuttering mess by now. He put a hand to his untamable hair and attempted to flatten it, only for his efforts to be in vain as it stood straight up again." Where are we going again, Uzume-chan?"

Her shoulders stiffened and he found himself venturing into another sore subject that belonged to his Sekirei, no matter how reluctant he was to use that term." Hiyamakai Hospital… there is something I want to show you." Her tone was cold and a hint of venom was present and it was easy enough to tell that it wasn't being directed at him. Something about that hospital pissed her off and it was probably something bad. The way she regarded it with such hate reminded him of the creepy nurse that was a part of Anti-Thesis. He was never able to look at nurses and doctors the same after she tried to have Moka kill him.

She forced a smile to appear." Do you mind talking about something else?" there was hint of a plea in her tone." Is there anything you want to know about the Sekirei Plan?"

He bit his lip. He had lots of questions, some of them more invading than others. He only knew a little from what Minaka told him. These Sekirei had to battle one another until there was one last Sekirei standing and that one would hold the honor of staying with her beloved Ashikabi forever. Did that mean they killed one another? Was there something that barbaric in the human world? What _monsters_ would force that to happen?

"Do Sekirei have to kill one another?" he whispered.

She flinched." Yes and no." he lifted his head up in question. She stuffed her hands in her pockets and ignored the tight fit." When two Sekirei fight, it is traditionally one on one and the loser usually has their Sekirei crest removed via Norito."

"What do you mean?"

She closed her eyes." They're like special worlds we have to chant before we can use our major powers. Every Sekirei has a unique prayer and Norito. If you were to kiss me, I would be able to use my Norito which in turn allows me to use my most powerful techniques."

"Wow." He breathed as his eyes took Uzume in a new light." I've never heard of something like that before. Wait a moment. You said that these Norito could remove a Sekirei crest." He pointed out, his brown eyes narrowed in something close to realization." What happens when a Sekirei crest is removed?"

Uzume turned her head away and pulled down the top of her shirt to reveal the Sekirei crest on her back. His eyes narrowed further. The crest resembled a wagtail." When this crest is removed, the Sekirei essentially dies, Tsukune-kun."

He stifled a gasp." So this game…"

"Is basically do or die." She finished." This is why I apologized for making you wing me before. I was being selfish and involved you in a game that could get us both killed." Her voice was laced with regret and from the shaking of her shoulders, her apology was sincere.

Tsukune clenched his fists. When he agreed to participate, he didn't imagine the game would be so barbaric that it would involve people of the same race forced to kill one another. And for what, the amusement of a mad man who wanted to usher in an age of gods? His eyes widened in realization. That meant he and Minato would have to fight in the near future… and Musubi or Uzume would die. No! He snarled internally. He hated people like Minaka and MBI. It was like Anti-Thesis all over again. Another organization hell bent on ruining the lives of others. He had come to the human world to relax, not fight another organization.

Maybe he should just leave?

But could he really do that to Uzume? Despite only knowing her for such a short time, she had wormed her way into his heart, bond or no bond. If he left now, he would be doing what he did to Moka on his first day at Yokai Academy. He was selfish and feared for his life at a monster school. So selfish that he almost abandoned her to Saizo's mercy. If he left, wouldn't he be leaving Uzume at the mercy of the Sekirei Plan? Curse his gentle nature. His eyes lit up with a resolve. He would stay in the game, but that didn't mean he had to win it.

He put a hand on her shoulder, startling her." C'mon, let's go the hospital." His smile was warm and reassuring and something stirred in Uzume's heartstrings." The faster we get to that hospital, the easier it will be for us to find out how we'll survive this game. I don't plan on losing you, Uzume-chan. It's only been a little while and I consider you one of my most precious people. We're in this together like you said, now and forever."

Her lips quivered and she leaned into his touch. She closed her eyes. He was most definitely her Ashikabi. No one but Chiho had ever made her feel this way." Okay." She agreed, taking hold of his hand. If he was startled by her attentions, he didn't show it, only grasping her hand tightly in response.

Tsukune smiled and took a moment to enjoy the new sensations that Uzume brought to him. It felt awfully similar, if not the same to how Moka felt against his arm and how it made him feel. He got the same vibe from her that he had when he first met the vampire. They were in this together. Or so he hoped. He had an eerie feeling that the girls wouldn't be very happy that the "harem" expanded.

A blue haired girl in Las Vegas twitched.

The pen snapped in the hands of a suggestively dressed woman in her office.

A yellow tub collapsed on a young witch's parents.

The snow village got much colder than usual.

A vampire aggressively tore open her blood pack.

They all had the urge to pummel the object of their affections and they didn't know why.

Tsukune shivered, a cold chill running down his back. Uzume lifted her head from her Ashikabi's shoulder and gave him a questioning glance. Tsukune waved his arms frantically." I-it's nothing! It's just really cold outside."

She gave him a flat look." It's ninety degrees outside."

"Well it should be warmer." He crossed his arms like a small child, purposely avoiding her suspicious brown eyes. He turned his nose upward snobby like and she felt an unwilling smile creep up on her lips. He raised an eyebrow at the sound of giggling." What are you laughing about?"

"My Ashikabi is an idiot." She stated truthfully. A dark rain cloud hung over and he bowed his head comically as tears ran down his cheeks." A cute idiot." She amended.

He rolled his eyes." Because that makes it all better." He shook his head mockingly and looked up to see the towering building that was Hiyamakai Hospital. He let out a low whistle. The building was ginormous, rivaling the sizes of MBI hospitals despite the fact that MBI was the better of the two. His brown eyes took in the complete and utter whiteness of it. Even from the outside, it reminded him of the hospital wing at the academy. He shook his head._ I need a new hobby._

"So is this it?"

Uzume's eyes darkened for a split second." Yes, Ashikabi-kun." She gripped his hand tighter than before and he winced at the feeling of bones cracking involuntarily. She was pissed about something. He shook his head. She obviously was spending too much time with Miya if she was that angry and still had a smile on her face." C'mon, we just have to let the nurses know that we're here." She froze as someone stepped through the doors before they could pass.

A well-endowed green haired woman came out to greet them." Ah, #10. So good to see you." Her voice was laced with heavy sarcasm and Tsukune found his hand gripping Belmont at his waist, ready to fight any moment, damn the consequences.

Uzume sneered." Toyotama." She spat the name like venom and Tsukune could feel the edges of his fangs starting to peek from his lips. That woman was a Sekirei. Her power felt very similar to Uzume's, but unlike Uzume, her power was lower." I don't have time to deal with you. I'm here to see Chiho."

"Oh," the other woman exclaimed mockingly." Sorry, but Higa-sama wants to see you." They both stilled when a rumbling sound reverberated from Tsukune's chest. His hands were balled into fists and his eyes had narrowed to the point where his pupils resembled slits. He couldn't explain the feeling of anger within him. It was as if he was reliving his battle with Hokuto all over again.

Due to his anger, he had drawn on his vampire powers without the use of Belmont and didn't even crack one of the links on his lock. He had been severely handicapped and if it wasn't for Moka, he would have died. He was a gentle soul and didn't like to hurt people. But the looks this woman was giving Uzume set his blood on fire and for the first time in his life, he wanted her to try something. He wanted to see her look of shock when a human of all things beat her into the ground.

The woman's startled expression disappeared, replaced with a sly one." Oh, what do we have here." She sauntered over toward him, ignoring Uzume's scolding glare." Little #10 finally got herself an Ashikabi?" she let a gloved hand caress his cheek, ignoring his vicious glare and Uzume's hissing." Very handsome…" she purred." Almost compares to Higa-sama."

"We're here to see Chiho, not your master." Uzume snarled, batting aside the offending hand that touched **her** Ashikabi's face." So get out of our way, whore."

Instead of getting angry, she smirks." Sekirei #16 at your service, handsome," she greeted." Higa-sama would love to meet you. Without your whore present of course." her eyes widened slightly at the flash of red in the Ashikabi's eyes." Very well, go see your brat. You know #10, Higa-sama will know of this." With that said, she sauntered off toward the west, an over exaggerated sway to her hips that had Uzume seething.

Tsukune ignored the bile in his throat and took out a wipe and cleaned his cheek. He felt dirty and violated. Uzume snatched the wipe away and cleaned his face for him, a dark scowl on her face. The anger he felt was similar to his rage at Kuyō's attempt to harm Moka while he was unconscious. That woman sent out all the wrong vibes and none of the good ones. She reminded him of the spider-bitch that was Kuyō's right hand woman. Like Toyotama, she tried to make him her boy toy.

His glare was icy." Uzume… who in the hell was that."

"That was Toyotama, one of Higa Izumi's Sekirei. He owns this hospital." She replied; glaring in the direction Toyotama had gone. She was seething with white hot fury. That conniving slut dared to touch her Ashikabi like he was some pet to her? As if she owned him? She almost started a Sekirei battle in the front of a hospital of all places and she doubted Higa would've appreciated it all.

Tsukune's jaw clenched." I usually don't hate people the first time I meet them." He admitted." But I think I found the exception." He took the wipe back and placed it back in his pocket before beginning to walk to the hospital doors." She seemed to know you pretty well. And apparently this Higa does as well." There was no suspicion or accusation, simply acceptance.

"We can't talk about that here." She said. As his disbelieving look, she shook her head." Look, I need to tell you the situation I was in before, but not here. This place is run by Higa and his Sekirei are crawling everywhere. Any wrong move and he'll take offense."

Tsukune swallowed his anger." Fine." His eyes flickered to the hallways and stairs of the hospital the minute they stepped inside. He didn't understand why his Yōki detector was working so well, but it was proving to be quite the boon. Any presence that felt similar to Uzume's was detected by him. As of now, he could feel the presence of eight Sekirei in the building, not including Uzume. He watched as his Sekirei approached the sign in desk and wrote down his name and her own, the nurse at the front giving her a stiff nod.

He frowned. The woman had short grey hair and red half-moon glasses. Her purple outfit was similar to a corset and like the other Sekirei he had met so far, her measurements were well over average. She gave him an appraising glance and nodded approvingly before sending him and Uzume off into the E wing of the Hospital. He wasn't comfortable in the slightest. He could feel the stares of multiple Sekirei all around him. From how tense Uzume was, she could feel the Higa's dogs as well.

He whispered in her ear." We're being watched from all sides, Uzume-chan."

"Ignore them." She whispered back." Higa already knows you here from the looks of things. I don't want things to get out of hand." He nodded in return and they continued their walk. Before they knew it, they had arrived at the room Uzume was looking for. Room E-201

She knocked on the door gently. There was no response and she sighed in relief. She turned to her Ashikabi." Please be quiet. Someone very important to me is on the other side and she's really sick." Her eyes had turned sad, and before he could respond, she opened the door and stepped inside.

The hospital room was fairly decorated, if a little Spartan for his tastes. It had more color than what he was used to, though. The walls were tan in color and large windows made the outside easily visible from inside the hospital room. His eyes caught sight of Uzume's quick movement and he found his Sekirei leaning over the prone form of a very small dirty blond haired girl.

The girl was awake." Uzume-chan." She greeted weakly, wrapping her tired arms around the taller girl's waist. Tsukune felt his heart clench at the scene. The girl had lots of medical equipment attached to her and her skin was so very pale. She was weak and fragile. But her eyes surprised the young man. They were filled with life and love for his Sekirei who clung to the girl, her shoulders shaking.

He sunk into the chair next to the bed, taking in the girl's features. She looked way younger than he was, but that was probably because she was so small. If anything, she could be his age or older. She looked sleep deprived and it seemed whatever medicine they had her on wasn't working in the slightest. He smiled at Uzume's joyful expression. It made his chest warm for reasons he couldn't explain.

After several minutes, the girl finally noticed him. "Uzume-chan?" she removed her face from her friend's generous bosom. "You brought a friend?" He felt a small sense of amusement as her eyes wandered over his form, analyzing him like some science project. After a minute or two, she smiled.

Uzume gave the girl a grin." I did, Chiho-chan. Meet Tsukune-kun, my Ashikabi." The words echoed in the hospital room and the room fell silent. No emotion was in Chiho's eyes and Uzume's shoulder had squared up. Tsukune didn't say anything, opting for just watching the young girl's reaction.

Chiho smiled before weakly offering her hand." Hidaka Chiho," he shook her hand gently, not wanting to hurt her in anyway." It's nice to meet you. I was wondering when Uzume would finally find herself an Ashikabi."

He tilted his head." You know about the Sekirei Plan? I thought only Ashikabi and the Sekirei were supposed to know about it."

Was this young woman an Ashikabi then? And if so, where was her beloved Sekirei? Could it had been one those energy signatures he felt in the hospital moments before? A pinch of amusement was evident in her eyes and the woman gave Uzume a knowing look." I was supposed to be Uzume's Ashikabi." Silence once more rung in the room and Chiho gave Uzume a pleading look. "Can I talk to your Ashikabi?" Uzume nodded and Chiho sighed. "Alone please?"

Uzume turned to Tsukune, her expression oddly serious. He nodded in return and the woman gave a grudging nod of acceptance." Be quick though. I want to talk to my best friend." she stomped away like an angry child and the two Ashikabi found themselves chuckling at her antics.

"Like I said before, it's nice to meet you." Tsukune turned around to see Chiho smiling at him. "Uzume's been alone for a while now and I'm happy that she found someone to take care of her." her tone was filled with hurt and he soon realized that all was not as it seemed.

Tsukune rubbed his forehead." It's nice to meet you as well. Am I correct in assuming that you've known Uzume for a long time now?"

"Yes, Tsukune-san," she confirmed." I've known Uzume-chan since I first came to the hospital when I was thirteen years old. She was one of the first people I met when I arrived in Shinto Teito. She always came to visit me and make me smile with her costumes."

"Why are you in the hospital, Chiho-san?" he asked gently.

She closed her eyes." Ever since I was a small child, I've had an incurable disease that's been eating away at my heart and muscles." She answered to his horror." I've been transferred from hospital to hospital until I finally arrived here and my parents gave up on me."

"That's terrible."

She shook her head." Not really. With all that's happened to me, I've come to appreciate the love and bonds I have now and cherish them to the fullest. It makes me happy that I have some precious people that still care for me. What about you, Tsukune-san. Do you have any precious people?"

Eight people filled his thoughts." I do." He confirmed." It's nice to know that there are still people out there that recognize that bonds are important. Tell me about yourself, Chiho-san. Uzume brought me here for something important and I guess she wanted us to meet."

She smiled." There isn't that much to tell." She avoided his question with ease and countered with her own." Tell me about Uzume's Ashikabi." And so he did. He told her of his average and dull life. How he failed the entrance exams to attend high school and by some lucky break, his father came across a flyer that ended up granting him access to a private school.

She in turn told him about her early life in an honest attempt to get to know him. The two discussed everything from family to politics, sometimes engaging in easy banter over things they agreed to disagree over. It was one of those times that Tsukune found himself not stuttering over a girl. Chiho was kind, but didn't give off any romantic vibes, making it much easier to talk to her than he would one of the girls back at Yokai. She was a sweet girl who obviously appreciated all the good things in her life and accepted all the bad things that came her way without complaint. He could see why Uzume liked her so much. She was a saint in her eyes and compared to him, was pure of the violence and horrors that surrounded the world in a vice grip.

She laughed at a joke they shared before her eyes turned serious." Do you mind telling me how you winged Uzume, or why for that matter?" His laughter ceased at her borderline hostile tone. He gave her an understanding look. Her tone reminded him of his cousin and protective she was of him." You didn't wing her because of her looks did you? I know she's a very attractive woman –"she slapped her hand to her mouth, her pale face a tomato red. There goes the secret of her sexuality.

"I'll be honest, Chiho-san. I never intended to wing Uzume. It just kind of happened." He chuckled weakly at her suspicious glare." I found her hurt in the streets and I attempted to rush her to the hospital. Imagine my surprise and when she kisses me and wings sprouted from her back." It wasn't really lying, but there was a lot that was voided out and Chiho picked up on it, but didn't say anything about it. "You said you were supposed to be Uzume's Ashikabi, right?"

She nodded." I was. If you're wondering why I never winged her…" the room was suddenly uncomfortable and he could feel sadness radiating off the girl in waves." I'm dying."

"You're what?" he nearly shouted.

"The doctors said there wasn't a cure to my disease and all the medicine was doing prolonging the inevitable." She admitted softly." I didn't wing Uzume because she said that when the Ashikabi dies, so does the Sekirei. I didn't want Uzume to die with me. She wastes her time entertaining me every day when she should have found someone to love her. I'm glad that she found you."

Tsukune frowned softly." Chiho…"

"Don't tell her, Tsukune-kun." He noticed the different suffix immediately. The look in her eyes was desperate." Don't tell her that I'm dying. I didn't tell her because she would have wasted herself away trying to find a cure faster. Something tells me that even with an Ashikabi of her own, she still would have tried." It wasn't fair, Tsukune concluded. There were so many selfish and cruel people in the world that got to live, and this pure girl would die soon. She'd die alone because her parents gave up on her." Promise me."

He bit his lip." I promise that I won't tell her." he agreed hesitantly." But…"

She shook her head." There are no buts to it. When I'm gone, make sure she isn't a wreck, okay?" she asked and he nodded without hesitation." Sorry if interrogated you earlier. I just wanted to see if you were a good person or not. I can tell that you are. You're something Uzume needs."

"But I've only known her for such a short time." He protested weakly.

Chiho nodded." And she loves you all the same just like she does me. Sekirei are different than you and I, Tsukune-kun. They love much more strongly than us and when they lose who they love, it hurts more. The doctors say I have two months at the most and I know how Uzume is. If you aren't here to help her, she'll lose herself."

He couldn't believe what was happening. A girl, such a pure girl, was making a last request to a person she barely knew because someone she loved needed him. With the way the monster world and the human world was, he never would have imagined meeting such a person. Someone so selfless came every once in a lifetime and this one would die before her time. Fate was a cruel bitch. She had already made that clear when he turned into a ghoul. Now she allows someone so beautifully pure to die in a hospital.

His eyes hardened." I promise that I'll always be there for her, no matter what I have to do." It was more than a promise or simple vow. It was oath that couldn't be broken by even the gods. He'd die himself before such a promise could be broken.

Her smile was warm." Good. Now let's talk about happier things. Do you have family?"

* * *

Uzume looked at him confusedly as he walked past her with a tired look on his face. There was weight on his shoulders that wasn't there before they arrived and his eyes had a burning determination they lacked at the Inn. What had happened in there to make him so confident? The way he carried himself was different than before. He tensed for an instant when she hugged him from behind. The stiffness in his shoulders left him in an instant and he relaxed in her grip.

"Did something happen?" had there been an argument between her two precious people? She couldn't stand the thought of the possibility that they didn't like each other. She didn't want to choose between them. He hugged her in return, reassuring her that her train of thought was most definitely not what happened.

He smiled softly." Chiho is a very good person and I'm glad you introduced me to her." her face brightened and she hugged him tightly." Go on, she wants to talk to you some more." He gently led her to the door and she gave him a worried glance.

"What about you?"

He pulled out his cellphone." I have to make a call. I'll be there in a little bit." She grinned in return and went inside the hospital room, leaving him alone in the hallway. He swiftly went to his contacts list on his phone. His current phone was an upgrade to the flip phone he had before he attended the academy. He smirked. He wasn't surprised in the slightest that the chairman was on his contacts. What he wanted to know was just how he did it. As far as Tsukune was concerned, his phone was always in his pocket.

He hit the talk button and waited. It wasn't long before someone answered the phone._" Moshi- Moshi. This is_ _Tōjō Ruby speaking."_

"Ruby-san." He exclaimed in surprise.

"_Tsukune-kun!?"_ he winced at her loud shriek._" How do you have this number? And why is the chairman making me send you early schoolwork to your email address? Did something happen that you won't return in time for the new term?"_

He chuckled." Slow down, Ruby-san, I'm doing just fine." The young man hummed in amusement." The chairman has me doing some work for him and gave me the number so I could contact him." He heard her sigh in relief before the wave of suspicion aimed at him came through the phone like a train.

"_Just what are you doing, Tsukune-kun – Chairman-sama!"_ He raised an eyebrow at the sound of breaking glass before a deeper voice replaced Ruby's._**" Ahh, Aono-kun, so nice of you to call."**_ he shivered. He took back his earlier statement. The chairman was worse than the MBI chairman._**" Is there a reason you've decided to disturb me from my paperwork?"**_

"As a matter of fact, there is." He answered calmly." I need to tell someone about the monster world and I figured I needed your permission first."

The chairman hummed on the other line._**" This person you want to inform about our world wouldn't happen to be a Sekirei, would it?"**_ Tsukune froze and he could feel Mikogami's knowing grin upon him, silently laughing at him like the pawn he was.

"You knew…" he breathed.

"_**If you are in fact referring to the Sekirei Plan, then yes I knew about it."**_ He admitted shamelessly._**" Did I know that you would get yourself involved, no? Did I suspect it? Most definitely,"**_ he openly laughed at Tsukune's stunned silence._** "Now Aono-kun, I want you to listen to me closely. I want weekly reports on your training. I am already aware that you tapped into your Yōki and I want you to alert me of any more progress. As for permission, do as you wish. You could even tell your dear cousin, Minato and I wouldn't care as long as he told no one of it. Now if you don't have anything to say, which I hope you don't, goodbye."**_ He hung up without letting the young man get his bearings, leaving him in silence.

Tsukune's hands shook." That no good bastard!"

**Next time: The Green Girl: MBI begin their hunt for the unknown Anomaly.**

_**Read and Review!**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**MBI's Hunt + Revelations of the Past**

**AN: The Green Girl Episode is being moved to next chapter mainly for the fact that I'm being lazy and can't seem to fit it in this chapter. I thank all my reviewers that did review and implore those that favorite and followed my story to do the same. I like hearing your input. The poll I posted has been finished and Tsukune's Sekirei have been finalized. For those who are wondering, he won't be receiving another Sekirei for another two –three chapters or so.**

**Those wondering about Guardian of the Hunters: Legacy, I'll be honest with you and admit that I'm working on it, but I'm working on it in bulk. I'm finishing five chapters of it before even posting another because I know I won't be able to do so in the near future. It'll be reminisce of my time with the prequel where I updated it almost every day and week if I could. I will be making other stories but they are not my main priority. They're just keeping the rabid reviewers entertained till I post for Legacy. I need a beta so if anyone could be so kind... give me a PM.**

He needed answers.

He waited patiently for Uzume. It had only been a couple hours and he had never felt more troubled now than ever before. It seemed like only yesterday when he could walk into a hospital, any hospital, and not feel paranoid enough to look over his shoulder. A place that had once been comfortable had become just as if not more dangerous than his high school. It was only tolerable because he could feel Uzume's presence from the other side of the door with his vampire powers. He didn't know how it started, but at some point last night, he had begun associating Uzume's distinctive energy with love.

The many different ways to say that special world were endless, but love only had one meaning and his heart beat skipped the more he let his mind sit in her presence, drawing upon it for comfort. It was ironic in a sense. The human who hadn't believed in the supernatural and the unknown had fallen for two women of different species other than humanity. He could blame it on the bond and say Moka was the only one he could ever let into his heart like that, but then he'd be essentially calling himself a liar. His first day at the academy, he fell in love with a pink haired vampire with an inner side that puts him in his place every time she's released. His second night in Shinto Teito, a veiled woman falls in love with him, truly in love, and binds herself to him for eternity. The worst part about it; he's returning her affections without missing a beat.

The bond between Ashikabi and Sekirei does more than simply bind them together forever. It is a link between the two that transcends the cliché case of a soul bond. Uzume can understand him probably better than Moka could and loves him so much, he can feel it. He can feel her love for him, and the agony she feels when she realizes that she's going to have to explain to him how she knows Higa of the East and why she hates him with a passion. If one word could describe the two young lovers, it could only be eternity. It wasn't in his personality to deny it till it eventually became inevitable. He could return her love. It was the right thing to do. The only thing he feared now was Inner Moka's wrath when he tried to explain how another woman fell in love with him. That being said, he could only hope he had a good grasp on his powers beforehand or the kick he was waiting for was going to hurt a lot worse than it should.

It was said that a person's fate was predetermined and that nothing could change it. If that was the case, he was never meant to go to a monster academy or meet a busty alien. It was also said that everyone has the ability to change their own fate. In a way, he had done that. He went to most likely the dangerous academy in the world with a weak and frail human body, knowing full well that every day that he could possibly die if one of his peers had a temper tantrum. Because of his decision, there was a consequence that came with it. The monster world had cursed him with a fate worse than death. In exchange for survival and strength, he had become a monster himself, a monster that walked the line that divided the most powerful and the weak. He had all the powers of a vampire and none of their weaknesses. He was the ultimate killer. But every powerhouse had a weakness and Tsukune was no exception. In exchange for all that might, he lost all sanity and went on with the single purpose of draining everyone his enemies and allies dry till their carcasses held no blood.

Even those consequences were not enough in Fate's opinion. She felt cheated that an average human had changed his own tarot cards and decided to add ones of her own. It was malevolence masked by an appearance of kindness. She gave him friends that forged a bond thicker than blood with him. There weren't anyone out there besides Uzume so far that he could trust with his life than them. An average boy was gifted with friends that had to power to protect him and wanted to be with him forever. It was any young man's dream. But that was all it was, a simple dream. Fate was cruel and the majority of his friends were those of the opposite sex. For any male, that would be considered a good thing. For Tsukune, it was downright horrible. These girls claimed to _love_ him and wanted to be with him. The relationships he had with them could only be described by each girl's personality. Shy and stalker-like Mizore wanted to bear his children and have him move to their village where they could build a family together. Kurumu proclaimed that he was her mate of fate and that if he picked her, she'd allow him to do anything with her. He had yet to see any proof her claim being true, but it was not right to ask for it. Ruby, a stunning and beautiful witch with a masochist personality wanted to be his slave of all things. She was content with him having other lovers. All she wanted was to be with him. The sad thing was that she was three, nearly two years his senior and could get a much better guy than him. Even Yukari, a perverted little witch wanted him. Sadly for her, it was never going to happen. He wasn't a pedophile and he wouldn't become one because she wanted him to.

Then there was Moka.

She was a woman that was simply divine in either of her personas. She was exceptionally smart and had grades that were only outshined by the residential genius witch, and even then, the margin wasn't much. Her looks gained the envy of other woman and both sides of her, either outer or inner, were desired by many of both genders. She had the looks and the fame and when he first met her, she was utterly miserable. She was the pinnacle of her race, what every vampire aspired to be. She was an S-Class Super Monster that held no equal and because of that, she had no friends.

It was at that moment, when he had been human, that a small spark burned within him. It was then that he felt resentment toward his own race and became a proactive supporter of coexistence between monster and human. There shouldn't have been a world where someone as beautiful and kind as her was demoralized and teased because of her slight oddities and difference in looks when compared to others. He considered himself privileged to even be in her presence, yet this astounding woman cared for him first, when no one else had before. The pink haired vampire was a part of his everything. He couldn't imagine a lifetime where he couldn't see her emerald eyes and her cute smile. He couldn't imagine a life where she isn't latched on his neck, gently sucking his blood. She was part of a woman that made his heart burn with passion.

The woman he loved had another side to her as well, one he found just as irresistible. The pink haired side was the one he saw most and usually found the most endearing. The other, a silver haired goddess whose beauty ascended past her frontal exterior, haunted his dreams, whispering sweet nothings in his ears to soothe him. The more he dreamt of her, the less the nightmares came. This goddess on earth, this other side of the woman he loved, was his protector and guardian. Her vampire blood ran in his veins until it became his and purged whatever remained of her within him. He was to blame for the ghoul, but she was the one that first gave him the power to protect his friends. She was cold and arrogant, a contrast to sweet and emotional side she has outside of the rosary. His very existence still continued because of her. Without her, he wouldn't be alive today.

It seemed like only yesterday that he met her. She was the perfect picture of deadly and sexy. She was the femme fatale every man wanted in his life. A place that had once terrified him became bearable because she was always by his side, sealed or not. It was the pink haired girl he had associated with what a crush felt like at first. It was the silver haired woman that had first shared what love was. The most important thing a vampire could give to someone was their precious blood. If that didn't prove that she cared about him, he didn't know what did. She was misunderstood. She was treated like a monster, even by her friends, because of the mass power she had and the coldness of her personality. Everyone treated her like something to be wary of. He never did. He was affected by the Yōki within her like everyone else. But her beauty and grace destroyed any fear of her that he had. He didn't treat her like a monster. He treated her like a friend should.

It made his heart ache. He could honestly say that he loved her, cared for ever since they first met. It caused him pain that he couldn't give her all the love in his heart. Somehow, that veiled Sekirei he had had managed to worm in so fast that before he knew it, she had secured her place in his heart forever. The love that was beginning for Uzume felt exactly as did with Moka. It was the only reason he understood what love was. Sure, both women's love felt a little different, but the emotion was the same. Sometimes he cursed his big heart. No one should be able to love like he did. It only caused pain to those on the receiving end of that love. He didn't know how he was going to explain to the girls that some woman had bonded with him eternally, declaring herself to be his mate. He feared how they'd take it. It wouldn't be pretty, that was for sure. Yet even though he knew the dangers, he didn't think Moka would be all that angry with him. She was the kind of woman that read the facts straight before going in for the kill, at least the silver haired one did. The pink haired one, one more than one occasion, had believed that he was some sort of pervert because of outside influence. He had never particulary forgiven Gin for that. Maybe he'd convince Moka to give the dog a good beating when he got back? Yes. That sounded good…

The holy lock jingled and brown eyes scanned over the links, taking in their shine. So far, none had cracked. From what little knowledge of the lock he had, they would break if he ever let his anger get the better of him without Belmont preventing him from breaking it. For every lock that broke, without Belmont, he got more power than before. But that power eroded the defenses of his mind, and every time the links broke, he had a high chance of losing himself for good. He wouldn't be able to express how grateful to the chairman he was. Had he not had Belmont when he met Uzume, or any Sekirei for that matter, not only would he be a liability due to the dangers of using his powers, it would be like the academy where everyone had to protect him. He couldn't wait for the day when he could rip the damn thing off and be done with it. The sound of the door opening pulled him out of his musings and a frowning Uzume stepped out.

He would have went out to hug her had he not seen such a serious look on a usually very flirty girl. "Uzume-chan, what's the matter? Did something happen with Chiho?" His question went unanswered and the voluptuous young woman wrapped her arms around him for comfort. Her shoulders shook and he already knew that she was crying. He hugged her in return.

"She isn't getting better. I can tell that all she feels right now is pain." she whispered, her face buried in his blazer, soaking it with her tears. A sad smile graced his lips as his eyes dawned in understanding. Chiho was her first love and to see her like this was unbearable. Tsukune's eyes narrowed. She deserved more. He had seen the wires and tubes in her small and frail body. It was fate he didn't wish on anyone. To live such a life, always in pain , but kind enough to offer a smile, even if you weren't feeling it… in a way, she reminded him of well… him. While his soul was nowhere near as pure as hers, before he became a ghoul, her demeanor and outlook on life was an exact replica of his earlier persona. Now his soul was tainted by thoughts of violence and war. He hoped that Chiho would never change.

He gently stroked her hair." She's happy for you."

"But why?" she pulled away from him." Why isn't she sad? When I told her you were my Ashikabi, she didn't react at all. How can someone be so happy knowing that they're alone?"

He shook his head." Chiho, she loves you. She worried for you." He pressed his lips to her forehead, surprising himself with the gesture of affection." She is someone that I strived to be. She isn't alone because you're always with her. She's happy because you are."

"It's not fair to her."

"I know." He agreed." Sometimes, life isn't fair and fate ruins the lives of very good people. But I think Chiho is happy, regardless of how her life turned out." Brown eyes met his in confusion." Chiho told me that she was happy that you found someone. Uzume, you made life the best for her. Chiho's content with life because there are people that love her. She isn't alone. She has you."

Uzume gave him a pointed look." And you too." He smiled gently and the woman let him go, opting for holding his hand instead of hugging him." I just wish I could do something! This isn't fair. She deserves so much more."

"If you want to do something," Tsukune began, the smile never leaving his lips." Then visit her and be with her till the end. Keep on making her smile. I'll be right there with you." He never knew this side of himself. He never thought him the person to ever be good at comforting someone. The girls never needed anyone to comfort them. They were always so strong and hiding everything from him, no matter how much he pressed. It was a nice change. It made him smile that the Veiled Sekirei loved him enough to allow him to comfort her. Her face was stoic, but her eyes shined with a new resolve the more she looked at that door. When she cast her gaze on her beloved Ashikabi, she knew he agreed.

She closed her eyes." Let's go home. I'll explain everything you need to know. After seeing Toyotama today, I can't risk anything."

He frowned." You don't have to tell me, Uzume-chan. There are things about myself that I haven't told you." In reality, he was planning on telling her tonight what he really was. He feared her reaction. Whatever she had to tell him couldn't be as bad as telling her that he was a walking monster waiting to lose control.

"No." she shook her head." You need to know everything." Her demeanor had turned dark in a manner of seconds and he already missed her flirty nature." The sooner you know about it, the faster you decide what you want to do with me."

He changed his mind. Whatever had caused this must have been really bad.

XxXxXxX

#4, The Black Sekirei, would be the first to admit that her life at this point was worthless and that Earth held no appeal to her in the slightest. She was a warrior first before anything else and the desire to find a worthy adversary always churned in her being, swelling at the continuous denials of such a wish. She wished she could say that she was the greatest warrior amongst her sisters, amongst the humans. She knew for a fact that wasn't true in the slightest. Truth be told, there were two that were stronger than her. One was dead, leaving behind her legacy for Karasuba to contend with, and the other had put away her sword for good. To be perfectly frank, there was absolutely nothing for her to contend with.

The two blundering idiots that had been assigned to her as the newest members of the Discipline Squad held qualities that weren't useful or amusing. Had they been amusing, she might have tolerated them a bit more. The only reason she hadn't gutted or disemboweled them was because Minaka had told her no. He said it'd be too boring and there would be no point in wasting her time. To her amusement, he had actually tried to convince her to take on Natsuo as an Ashikabi. She had laughed in his face. Sure, Natsuo wanted to see the world burn just as much as she did, but he didn't have the drive or the power to do it. Besides, she'd never allow such a weak willed ape claim her as his mate. She wouldn't follow his orders or bear his children. He was gay, so the last part didn't really matter. All it did was make him more useless. The world would burn. Then maybe she would take an Ashikabi as her own. Unless something else came up, her mindset wouldn't change.

She had remembered the nonsense that Yume had spilled from her lips. Love was a weakness and a fool's game. She had no reason to love and Yume was more the fool for trying to convince her otherwise." See where that love of yours got you, Yume?" she muttered, shining her precious blade." It got you six feet under with no Ashikabi for you to claim. Your love for Mu-chan got you killed. Your power was wasted." Oh that day had infuriated her greatly. The only person she considered worthy of fighting both against her and alongside her had sacrificed herself for a sniveling brat that looked exactly like her. Yume couldn't keep her promise to her. It was just another reason to burn this world. The apes were something that wasn't needed in the universe. They had inadvertently caused the death of her rival. It was her right to kill Yume and they took that way from her. That was all the reason she needed to slaughter them till nothing was left.

Her phone rang off to her side and a displeased frown crossed her lips." What do you want, Natsuo?" her tone was cold yet polite and sent shivers of fear down the usually calm man's spine. There weren't many things that could make him lose his composure but Karasuba was one of them.

"Minaka-sama just called." He informed her hesitantly." He believes he found the origin of where that strange spike of unknown energy occurred. He wants the Discipline Squad to investigate and if we can, find the cause of it."

She smirked." I'll be there. Send me the coordinates and we'll rendezvous there in an hour." She sighed pleasantly as she fell back on her bed, her ōdachi forgotten. Her chest rose and fell with every breath as a grin of dangerous excitement spread across her lips. Something about this mission was different and filled her with a sense of glee she never had before. She picked up her sword once more. She would have to shine it extra nice. This mission felt like a special occasion.

X~X~x

Neither Uzume nor Tsukune had said a word since they left the hospital. The young woman's spirits had dampened as she had come to realize her friend's condition was getting worse, and with the upcoming revelation of how she knew Higa of the East, her mood wasn't improving. How does one go about explaining that the owner of a multimillion corporation was secretly blackmailing her to do his bidding? The best thing to do was avoid the whole conversation, but if she knew her beloved Ashikabi, that wasn't going to happen at all.

As her brown eyes lingered on his form, she had realized something. She had chosen a different path with a different ending than what she had perceived. She had never regretted taking on an Ashikabi this much. Sure, she was desirable in nearly every way and was a proud flirt, but she had so much baggage that she was afraid of her Ashikabi's reaction. Would he be disgusted by her actions? Would he hate and abandon her like some scrapped number? The process should have gone smoothly. Toyotama shouldn't have even showed up and Tsukune should have been blissfully unaware that he gained a legion of enemies for even participating in the game on her behalf. He shouldn't have even been an Ashikabi and left to a normal life… but then she had to go ahead and kiss him on the spot.

She was such an idiot.

"Uzume-chan…"

Her back went rigid instantly. His voice had lowered in pitch and was laced with so much concern that it sent pleasant shivers down the back of her spine. She couldn't believe how aristocratic his voice sounded and how the timbre of it alone spoke of the nobility that flowed in his blood, whether he knew it or not. She flinched and refused to face him. She had put him in Higa's scope. She was a danger to him, even with his cool powers that he still hadn't explained to her. She expected this would be the last time he would see her for the foreseeable future. He was a good man. He wouldn't want someone as tainted as her.

Against her body's protests, she found herself relaxing as strong arms wrapped around her in a comforting gesture. She looked up hesitantly from the safe haven she found in his arms. Whether he realized it or not, Tsukune was an intimidating figure when he allowed his emotions, mainly anger, get the better of his calmer and gentle side. Sixteen, nearly seventeen years old and yet his face held the appearance of someone just a little bit older than his cousin. With his constant presence in the monster world, his body adjusted and rebuilt itself in order to survive in a harsh environment it would soon find more comfortable than the world where his origins lye.

"Uzume-chan, talk to me," he ordered softly.

His brown eyes had hardened slightly and the slight pulse in the bond alerted her to how much pain her sadness was causing him. She had forgotten that the bond was a two way street. The Sekirei had to obey the Ashikabi and the bond was responding on her need to tell him the truth.

"I don't want to force you talk, Uzume-chan. But if we're going to spend the rest of our lives together, I need to know what is causing you so much pain." His brown eyes looked deep into her soul and she felt bare to him. For a moment, he believed she knew about the truth of Chiho's condition.

She swallowed nervously. They were half a mile off from the Inn, having taken the bus from the hospital to the halfway point in between their favored locations. She gathered her courage." You wanted to know why I hate Higa of the East so much, correct?"

He nodded.

"Higa runs a pharmaceutical company and the hospital that Chiho's a patient at. What you didn't know is that he's an Ashikabi and a powerful one at that, one of the three most powerful in Shinto Teito. He's part of a Triumvirate."

Tsukune raised a brow." Triumvirate," he murmured." So there are two others. What so special about this Triumvirate that Higa is regarded as something so powerful." He was reminded slightly of the three Dark Lords, the Triumvirate that ran the monster world. He only knew one personally and the other two were unknown to him. From what he could gather, these Ashikabi were like them."

"All three Great Ashikabi have more than one Sekirei, Higa having twelve in total. Because of that, each Great Ashikabi holds a piece of Shinto Teito. Higa holds the East, Mikogami of the South, and Sanada Nishi of the West." She informed him quietly.

Tsukune paled. Twelve Sekirei… he wasn't aware that you could have more than one. He gave Uzume an incredulous look." I thought you said that a Sekirei bonds with their true soul mate, their Ashikabi? How is it that Higa has twelve?"

She frowned." I guess I forgot about that. An Ashikabi isn't limited to having one Sekirei and is expected to have more depending on how powerful the Ashikabi is. I won't be all that surprised if we found another Sekirei reacting to you. I'm just one number shy of a single number so that makes you pretty powerful – hey are you okay?" her brown eyes hadn't missed the way his skin paled to the point where it was whiter than the clouds in the sky.

He grits his teeth." So you're telling me that there's a chance that I'll have another Sekirei in the future?" His tone alone spoke wonders of how he felt about the situation.

She crossed her arms." You know, most guys would kill to have harem. Can't handle that much woman?"

Tsukune sputtered." T-that isn't the point! I'm not like most guys…" he bowed his head." I'm content with just having you around."_ Why does this crap always happen to me!_

"You're sweet." He blushed at the soft feeling of her lips on his cheek. She pulled away with a satisfied smile." But I don't mind if you have more Sekirei, Tsukune-koi."

"Y-you don't?" he couldn't believe what he was hearing. The girls back at the academy couldn't even stand that another woman was coming onto him and beat the living hell out of each other every time one of them tried to put the moves on him. And Uzume doesn't care if another Sekirei comes into his life? What kind of ecchi dream was he having?

She smiled softly." We're going to need all the help we can get if you and I are going to win this game. I'll admit, I'd like to have you all to myself but with that power of yours, you're going to be like a Sekirei magnet to the really strong ones." Her words didn't have the calming effect that was intended as the young ghoul looked like he was hyperventilating. An image popped into his head of a dining table filled with countless women beating the hell out of each other for his affections… it wasn't pleasant in the slightest." If it makes you feel better, the possibility of having twelve Sekirei is slim to none."

His head jerked up in shock and a shower of hope came into his eyes." Really," he asked like a small child. She nodded." Then how the hell do these guys have so many?"

"I never said all of those Sekirei came willingly." She said darkly and his eyes widened in alarm." You winged me _naturally_. A natural winging is when the Sekirei reacts to the Ashikabi and goes to him or her willingly. Because MBI messed with us, although on accident, a Sekirei can be _forcibly winged_ to an Ashikabi they aren't responding to."

"You can't be serious!"

She shook her head." I'm dead serious, Koibito. A Sekirei can be winged by kissing someone or being kissed themselves. If someone who isn't their destined Ashikabi kisses them, they'll be winged, no matter how much they dislike it. It's a fate I don't wish on anyone. It's why I don't mind if you get more Sekirei. It's better for them to be naturally winged than for that decision to be taken from them. If another Sekirei reacts to you, you have to wing them because if you don't, they'll never be happy and someone will steal that happiness away from them."

He blinked with his mouth agape in surprise and horror. Uzume watched his reaction carefully, taking note of the sheer disgust in his brown orbs. His features changed in an instant and for a moment, Uzume almost believed she was looking at a different person. He had changed from a kindhearted young man to something else in an instant. To be blunt, Tsukune's bodily appearance appeared to have calmed completely, no sign of tenseness or agitation in his muscles. His face however, spoke a far different story. His jaw was set in a thin line and for a second, she almost thought she saw fangs peeking from his lips.

His usually wide brown eyes had narrowed dangerously, his eyes sporting a slit instead of the regular pupil. They say that the eyes are the window to a person's soul. Uzume could believe it. She could see the maelstrom that continually bubbled inside the gentle boy. It was a maelstrom that he always tried to keep at bay and she knew why. For a second, she saw the Black Sekirei in him.

His jaw clenched." I won't let that happen to a Sekirei if I can prevent it." He couldn't believe what he had heard. It was stunning and horrifying. How could humanity be so cruel? A broken heart could be healed after time. This…_ forced_ love was something that couldn't be undone. He knew that at this point, there was no going back. He was a human that loved everything and tried to see the best in everyone. He _is_ a monster. There was no point in denying that he wasn't human anymore. He couldn't allow himself to be compared to the true monsters that roamed humanity under the guise of human skin. The thought of leaving the Sekirei Plan, the thought of having more than one Sekirei had changed _was_ a human. He _is _a monster. He _is_ an Ashikabi. He belonged to three worlds, and one desperately needed his help.

He had never been more determined." Uzume-chan, with your approval, if another Sekirei enters our life… I'll gladly accept her. Knowing the consequences of what might happen if I don't make it my responsibility to ensure that she receives the right Ashikabi."

She had never been gladder to pick him as her Ashikabi. He wasn't going to abandon his Sekirei out of fear, and he was willing to push aside his own morals to ensure any Sekireis that reacted to him safety. It almost made her believe that he wouldn't abandon her after he learned of what she did. What kind of monster she was. Sometimes she wondered who was worse, the Black Sekirei or her. At least#04 had the decency to stay with the body till MBI could retrieve it safely. She on the other hand left the body alone and MBI had no idea who was murdering Sekirei out of the blue. Higa had covered his tracks well, making sure there was no patter in the Sekirei that were dying. Uzume was a quick and efficient killer. She was his faithful (not by choice) assassin.

Uzume had never been more disgusted with herself.

"Now," he had calmed slightly." What does this have to do with your connection to this Higa of the East? I know it has a connection to the night we met."

Willing herself to face him, she fought the stirring of fear that filled her stomach and swallowed hesitantly. She took a deep breath before steeling her resolve. It wasn't about her happiness. She cared only for his. If he didn't want her anymore after this, she wouldn't stop him. As long as he was happy, she would remain content. Or so she told herself.

So she told him. She told him everything that had occurred before her release into the human world and the truth of why she did what she did. She told him of her escapades as the veiled Sekirei, a supposed bounty hunter that prowled the night and day in search of powerful Sekirei to terminate them. She told him the story of a Sekirei that viciously crushed her opponents due to her unmerged state. Without the ability to use Norito, it was impossible to give her kin a painless death. As she talked, her brown eyes scanned his face, silently begging for his approval and forgiveness. Yet his face was emotionless as he took in her words.

The emotions of a Sekirei were different, yet the same as humans. Different because their emotions were much stronger, and the same because they expressed it just as humans did. To admit to her Ashikabi that she was a murderer was taking its toll. She _chose_ him. She couldn't bear the possibility of losing him. Tsukune listened on with calmness comparable to Inner Moka. No longer could he admit that the world was a great place to live in. There was nothing good about what Uzume was telling him, admitting to him. He was more observant than most gave him credit for. This woman was afraid of his reaction. There was no begging to be forgiven or excuses, only acceptance for whatever would happen.

He wasn't blind. For all intents and purposes, he should be disgusted. She had murdered Sekirei on the orders of a man who viewed the contract as nothing more than a business deal. Yet, he understood her far more than she knew. She was doing these acts of evil to protect the young woman he had met just moments before. She had a reason, a good one at that. She wasn't evil and he had no right to judge her in a negative light. How could he be angry with her when her actions weren't that much different than the women in his life now? Ruby had nearly killed him, Yukari humiliated him, Moka turned him into a Ghoul, Kurumu attempted to turn him into a slave, and Mizore tried to kidnap him to sire his children. He never held a grudge. There was no point in that. He loved to see the good in people and Uzume wasn't a bad person. She was a young woman unfortunate enough to be caught in an escapable situation. She was like him. She wouldn't abandon her friends. They followed the same code. They'd give anything to keep their precious people safe. For Uzume, it was her innocence. For Tsukune, it was his humanity. They were one in the same. She was _his_ Sekirei.

This young woman loved him enough to admit her many faults and mistakes. This woman loved him enough to let him decide if he ever wanted to see her again. He couldn't say that he had fallen in love with her just yet. However, he could return her affections. He cared for her, and the bond strengthened that emotion. He was an Ashikabi, and she, his Sekirei. They belonged with one another. That was the fate they shared.

Her head jerked up in shock when she felt his warm hand grip hers softly. He looked down on her with a gentle smile filled with benevolence." You're just like me."

Her head heart lodged itself in her throat.

"W-What…"

"I don't believe that you're the monster you claim to be." He took a hoarse breath, his shoulders shaking." You followed the orders of cruel man because Chiho needed your help. At first, you thought it would only be a one-time thing till he found out just how valuable you are. You trained yourself to the breaking point and killed your heart again and again to keep the person you love safe." He wrapped his hand around hers, trying to convey the understanding he felt." You protected her even when she didn't think she needed it. If that makes you a monster, than what am I?"

They were lucky that the trees around the area they were in hid them from onlookers. Tsukune grasped her hands tightly and ripped open the white dress shirt that hid his torso from view.

"Dear Kami…" she gasped, her hand covering her mouth in horror.

The skin of his chest was alabaster in tint and littered with scar and after scar, some in places that were guaranteed to be fatal on the body of a human. Minutes seemed like hours as her terrified brown eyes roamed his chest with something akin to grief. He had worn a shirt to bed before and she had only assumed it was because the temperature was cold in Maison Izumo. That was as far from the truth as one could get. There was no concept or understanding of the agony she felt just looking at him.

His chiseled chest was marred repeatedly. A large almost craterlike wound rested just above his heart, his skin showing small signs of intense burns and a large X shaped scar spread from the top of his shoulders to just above his naval. Claw marks littered his arms and legs and two small pinpricks resided just under his neck. It wasn't possible. Something like this couldn't have happened to her beloved Ashikabi.

But the truth was staring at her in the face. His brown eyes searched into hers, looking for anything akin to disgust or hatred. He had seen her react to his scars, he had seen the terror, and he had watched as she took a step away from him. But the moment her brown eyes returned to his gaze, he realized that she wasn't looking at him with fear. She feared for him.

He gave her a solemn look." If you are a monster, than I must be the incarnation of evil itself. You gave up your naïve innocence so Chiho could live on. I gave up my _humanity_ and body to keep my friends alive."

Uzume stared at her Ashikabi in both horror and sadness. She was scared for him. He wasn't human but most of those scars were fatal. She had been so caught up in the fact that her sacrifices were supposedly evil that she hadn't taken into fact that her Ashikabi might have done something similar. His last words had dawned on her as she slowly stepped forward, her soft hand grazing the largest scar on his chest." You lost your humanity?"

"Sekirei aren't the only thing humans aren't aware of." He said softly, ignoring the fluttering feeling of her nails tracing every scar he had to offer." You were kind enough to tell me your story. I think it's high time I told you mine. We're forever and ever, right?"

Her skin darkened." Right,"

Tsukune didn't notice, opting to move them to a more secluded location in a park nearby, shielding from the eyes and ears of potential eavesdroppers. The trees made the area feel secluded and hidden, and his barely acceptable Yōki detector couldn't sense any Sekirei nearby. Once they settled onto the grassy ground, his back resting against cool bark, his Sekireis head resting on his lap, he began his story.

"My story began when my father met a priest…" He was a coward and he had told her as such. She listened eagerly, thirsty for anything that could give some background on her mate. He described how he first felt when he took in the sight of the most dangerous place he had ever had the honor of attending. He mentioned his meeting with Moka, leaving nothing out. She had the grace to be truly honest with her feelings. He felt obligated to do the same. There were moments when he mentioned his feelings for her that he believed Uzume would react negatively, but to his surprise, there was only a small hint of jealousy but no anger on her part. He grimaced as he recalled his second meeting with Saizo and how he had first met the Inner Self of Akashyia Moka. From what Uzume could tell, there was real love for her, both sides of the strange woman. She didn't know what to feel, but seeing the worried gaze directed at her was enough for her to push aside those feelings. She would have to get used him getting involved with other women. He was an Ashikabi after all. She was slightly skeptical when he revealed that the school was for monsters but remembering how different he had looked when they first met removed any doubt in her mind. He had honestly looked like a vampire from those foolish kids stories. She almost choked when he revealed that a Succubus had taken a shine to him and teasingly asked if her breasts were as nice as hers. She laughed when he turned into a sputtering mess. She shook her head in amusement when she learned of the Succubus's morning greetings and made a quiet vow to one up the woman, missing the way the young man paled. He continued on, regarding her with the tale of how he met a Yuki-Onna, that like the Succubus, had declared him the soon to be father of her children and that he could sire as many as he pleased.

That had left her a giggling mess. She had paled slightly when he mentioned a perverted little witch that had a knack for reading BL manga and making small declarations to be the meat in a vampire sandwich. The Sekirei had given him a strange look and begged him not to be a lolicon, much to his horror and embarrassment. It had taken several moments for the boy to recover before continuing on his story. The Sekirei complained that her Ashikabi was a man whore when he revealed that an older witch had taken a shine to him as well and wanted to be his… slave of sorts. She smirked before saying that Tsukune should take her in to spice up the bedroom life. She wouldn't mind. The poor man had a nosebleed of epic proportions and continued his story. The atmosphere had darkened considerably when she realized that less and less of his life was becoming happy and more of it became filled with needless danger. He told her of Anti-Thesis and the Public Safety Commission. Her hand traced each scar as he explained each story surrounding each one. She had nearly cried when he told her that his powers had come with a deadly cost, a cost that could kill him in the future.

"You gave up everything for a woman who might not even love you?" her brown eyes had narrowed in both sadness and great confusion.

"It didn't matter if she loved me or not, Uzume-chan. My friends and loved ones are all that matter to me. Midou had nearly killed me that night and Moka-san was forced to perform another blood transfusion on me. I don't think she knew what could have happened."

"But you said she gave you those transfusions in the past. What was so dangerous about this one? It obviously gave you a big power up if you could fight a Sekirei to a standstill."

Tsukune closed his eyes." That final transfusion had transformed me into a monster." He pulled his sleeve up, revealing the golden lock he had kept hidden from her eyes." It transformed me into a creature so foul that the monster world had a kill on sight order for it. It may look like I'm a vampire, but in reality, I'm actually a Ghoul, a dangerous creature that prowls the night with no sanity, only senseless hunger."

Uzume paled." You mean like a flesh eating zombie?" her beloved Ashikabi wouldn't go zombie apocalypse on her right? She nearly smacked herself. Tsukune would never do that. Something must have happened if he wasn't trying to eat her right now.

"I'm not a Ghoul in the traditional case. Instead of flesh, I seek only blood. I'm like a vampire in the sense that I drink blood and have all of their powers, but unlike them, I have no weakness but the lack of sanity that compels a Ghoul forward. Usually, the transformation in permanent and Moka-san would've been forced to kill me."

"Is that what the lock thing's for?"

He gave her a surprised look before nodding." The Holy Lock is the only thing keeping me sane right now. If my lock ever breaks, there's a high chance that I'll turn into a Ghoul again."

She hid her shaking hands well." H-how does the lock break?" There had to be a way to save him! He couldn't be just like Chiho and have some strange sickness.

"If I lose control of my anger or just using too much of my power,"

Her head snapped up." But you used your power against me! Your lock would have broken you idiot! Baka-Tsukune,"

He smiled." The Chairman had another way to help me. He gestured to the whip wrapped around his waist and her eyes widened. She had thought it was a belt.

"This guy isn't a pervert, right?"

Tsukune blinked."…"

"Go ahead and continue."

He shook his head." The whip is called Belmont. It allows me to bypass the holy lock on my wrist and lets me use my powers without the risk of going insane. As long as it's with me, I should be fine." He saw the contemplating look on her face and bit the problem before it could grow." Before you even ask, I will be using my powers."

A gasp of shock escaped her." But what if you don't have Belmont? You could die." She exclaimed angrily." Let me protect you. That's what a Sekirei is supposed to do."

He shook his head." If I don't have Belmont on me, then sure, but I don't plan on this becoming Yokai Academy all over again. I will fight alongside you instead of watching from the sidelines like I do the girls. How am I supposed to make sure we stay together forever if can't fight with you?"

"B-but…"

"If it makes you feel better, I won't ever remove Belmont when we're outside just in case. The Chairman gave me a book so I could learn some techniques without hurting myself. I'll be fine. **We** will be fine." He assured her gently. There was no way that he'd let her prevent him from fighting. He got the whole deal that traditionally a Sekirei fights by herself and protects the Ashikabi, but he didn't like the game, so screw the rules. There was nothing in the rule book that didn't say the Ashikabi couldn't participate.

They lapsed into silence, both content to lean on the other. Surprisingly enough for the both of them, both had taken the story of the other well. Uzume was skeptical at first, but realized that she was an alien that no one believed in, so what were the chances that Yokai existed as well? Besides, her Ashikabi wouldn't lie to her. His hands gently kneaded her shoulders and slowly pushed aside any discomfort she felt. Her eyes trailed along each link of the holy lock and she shuddered. Her Ashikabi was essentially on death row and he didn't seem to care. He was so confident. What would happen if he lost the whip? Would he be so confident then? She couldn't understand why he was so insistent on fighting alongside her.

Tsukune smiled fondly." Now that we got that off our chests, let's head back home. I don't think Miya-san will be very happy if we end up late to dinner." The silence returned. It wasn't uncomfortable for Uzume. Her fears had been washed away and Tsukune felt the burden of his secret disappear, even if it was just for a little while. After all, no one needed to know but his Sekirei. His thumbs gently rubbed the back of her knuckles and palms with gentle care and a small smile filled her lips.

Everything would be okay.

X~X~x

The day had been well spent if Tsukune Aono had anything to say about it. The weight of hiding his true existence from his Sekirei had left him completely, unknowingly soothing the thought of having to eventually tell Minato as well. Tsukune and Uzume both had a lot of baggage as the young academy student had come to find out, but in the end, they were able to move past that. The minute they arrived home, Uzume had left to go bathe herself, complaining that she smelled like a man.

She seemed lighter in his opinion. She had more baggage than he did, committed more sins that he had and yet all that weight had been lifted by his simple reassurance that everything was okay. In a way, it scared him how much she relied on him. He did with her what he did with the girls back at school. She had no reason to love and depend on him like she did. They had kissed once and that was her winging, yet she was his mate in all sense of the word. Was it being fair to her if he wasn't being as affectionate as he should be because he still liked Moka? Yes, it was and he was disgusted by it. By the time they had arrived home, the truth that he would most likely have more than one woman in his life had hit him hard. He was monogamous by nature and for something like that to happen to him, even if the academy girls seemed to encourage it, sounded unreasonable and unfair to the women around him. They deserved someone that could love them and only them, not a coward who didn't understand his own heart.

He shrugged off the blazer and dress shirt, opting for a lone t-shirt and a pair of jeans. He glared at the mirror in his bedroom. He was a rather flexible person, adapting to almost any situation if the need arose. Apparently that applied to his love life as well. His chest warmed and he brought his hand to his heart gently. Uzume was thinking about him and she made that well known in the bond they shared. He sighed pleasantly and rested on his futon, silently contemplating the future. The room was nice, peaceful, and quite…

BAM!

He sighed. He should've known better. He slowly pushed himself from his comfortable position. He groaned quietly. Somehow, whatever that crash was had something to do with Uzume. He peeked outside his window, taking in the strange scene the backyard presented to him. The yard itself was large enough to prove comfortable to anyone that simply wanted to lie out there and watch the clouds go by. The soft scent of flower beds gave the air a pleasant smell and he smiled in amusement at the strange sight before him. Had he not been as tired as he was, his nose might've exploded in perverted glee.

Uzume was pressed against his cousin's back, eyeing Musubi warily. Both were clad in only their towels and if he knew better, the window that was shattered was most likely near the bathroom. Musubi's brown eyes were alit with a fiery anger and Minato's grey ones only showed how terrified he was of the situation. It reminded him of the way he reacted when the girls fought over him.

Scary

"You let go of Minato-san right now!" the usually bubbly woman shouted, one hand holding her towel together and the other held in a threatening manner. He closed his eyes in exasperation when Uzume blatantly ignored her. He shook his head and discreetly pushed himself outside of the window and onto the soft grass below. It wouldn't do any good to allow the situation to get out of hand.

Minato waved his hands frantically." N-now Musubi, calm down! You gotta stop this!"

"Yeah, listen to him!" Uzume pleaded, using Tsukune's cousin as a meat shield. She shivered when she felt a small sense of amusement that wasn't her own and turned her head. Her Ashikabi was watching the scene like a small child watching Saturday morning cartoons.

"I said get away from him NOW!" The younger cousin could only watch in wonder as Musubi reared her fist back and launched herself at the undeserving trio. He shook his head quickly and lightly tapped into the power of the vampire blood that flowed through his veins.

"N-no, no, no," Minato placed his hands in front of his face. It looks like he'd die by his own Sekirei. Huh, he never took Musubi for the jealous type.

CLANK

Tsukune blinked in surprise, his red eyes returning to their original brown color._ There's no way… so fast!_ Had he been human, he doubted he would've even seen it coming. In a blur of purple, the landlady had stopped Musubi, with a frying pan of all things._ Wow… She's strong._

With a small thwack, Miya brought down her ladle on Musubi's forehead." Stop it." Tsukune winced when Musubi moaned in pain." Young ladies shouldn't run around barely dressed like that." Tsukune pouted like a small child. He got the Hannya mask for something that wasn't his fault and Miya was scolding the girl for something indecent without her personal torture device. Some people had all the luck.

Musubi rubbed her head." Right," she agreed pitifully." I'm sorry."

"Hehehe, guess you got in trouble, huh?" Uzume teased.

Miya spun around quickly, a demonic look in her eyes." That goes for you too!"

"Okay…"

"Ara, Uzume-chan. Are you misbehaving?" The quartet spun around to see Tsukune walking toward them with a slow gait. The young man in question had a sheepish grin and Miya knew already that he had been watching in amusement. Her brown eyes narrowed slightly. A strange energy was coming from him, slowly dissipating but still there to sense and feel. It seemed that he would have reacted had she not have.

"Tsukune-kun!" the young woman glopped him in only his towel and his ecchi thoughts from before returned with a vengeance if the blush on his face was any indicator." How could you accuse me of misbehaving, Uzume's a good girl!" she pouted playfully.

Minato's eyes widened." Tsukune…"

The aura of dread that Tsukune was becoming accustomed too appeared around the landlady as she gave both Uzume and Musubi dangerous looks that promised deadly pain on their part. The air was thick with killing intent and Tsukune found a bead of sweat trailing down the side of his head. Uzume whimpered and pushed her face into his back as the Hannya mask materialized out of thin air, burning hatred spewing from its eyes. Musubi hid behind Minato pitifully, the young man frozen in horror. Tsukune swallowed. The scene itself was terrifying enough, but the fact that Miya had a smile, a pleasant smile at that, on her face just added a creepy factor that seemed to make it all the more horrifying." I won't ask why this happened but I _assure_ you that it will never happen again. There is no violence here at Maison Izumo. Have I made myself clear?"

Both boys choked while the girls whimpered." C-crystal…" Minato stammered, his cousin to frighten to say anything on their behalf.

The killing intent disappeared in an instant and her creepy smile was replaced by a more natural one." Good. I hope you've learned your lesson." She gave each of them a warning glance, the smile still on her lips. Her brown eyes trailed the boys." Ara, Sahashi-san, Tsukune-san, be sure to keep your girlfriends in line. Anything of sexual nature is also forbidden. Oh, and before I forget, dinner will be ready soon so get dressed." With that said, she spun around, walking back into the inn, a small but terrifying laugh with each step.

The minute she stepped inside, the girls retreated from their hiding spots behind their Ashikabi." Man… Miya-san can sure be creepy sometimes…" she gave Minato and Tsukune an expectant look." Don't you two think she's creepy like that?"

Minato gulped." Yeah. Why's she laughing?"

Tsukune stared in the landlady's direction with something related to both awe and terror. When he had seen her the first time, he had known that she wasn't normal in the slightest. The woman was both fit and the grace a warrior required. There was no way she was a simple landlady. Her killing intent was ginormous. Not even Moka had him shaking in his boots like that." I think the laugh is more for effect than anything." He turned around, giving Uzume a disapproving look that her looking away in shame." Uzume-chan… you know better than to antagonize people like that. You made Musubi go berserk and left my cousin all flustered."

"I'm sorry…"

Her apology was sincere. She could feel his disapproval as clear as day through the bond. He didn't mind the fact that she was teasing them. But Minato was human and Musubi's punch could have done a lot of damage to him. He sighed." Go get dressed before Miya-san comes back. I don't want her to start blaming me for not controlling my beastly urges."

Her eyes were filled with warmth and mischief." Do I make you feel these 'Beastly Urges', hmm?"

Tsukune sputtered indignantly, his cheeks painted red by his embarrassment. With a small snort of indignation, he crossed his arms over his chest, sulking slightly." Why do people always think I'm the pervert…" he gave her a pointed look." Go get dressed."

Uzume laughed." Are you sure? I wouldn't mind calming those urges of yours –"

"– Goodbye!" he yelled pushing her toward the doorway, desperately trying to ignore her mocking laughter. The woman left without complaint, only the small promise that she would calm his urges at any time that he wished for it. While the young man reprimanded his Sekirei, Minato followed his example and did the same.

"Musubi-chan, you know better than to fly off the handle like that." Minato said as sternly as he could." Uzume-san didn't do anything wrong. Why did you try to fight her?"

"Did I do something wrong?" her eyes were looking at everything but him, reminding him of a child caught with her hand in the pantry.

He sighed." Musubi-chan, it's not right to just attack people without reason." The young woman had the audacity to blink in confusion and Minato would've banged his head against the nearby tree if he didn't know just how naïve and innocent she was.

"But I did have a reason." Her tone was filled with more confusion than necessary." The Professor taught us to fight other Sekirei when we ran into each other. It's how we win the game and stay with our Ashikabi forever and ever." She scratched the back of her head lightly, gazing at the object of her affections with interest.

Minato frowned." Well we aren't following that rule, Musubi-chan. It's mean and wrong. Besides, I think Uzume-san is Tsukune's Sekirei and we don't hurt family. I don't want us to fight like that, okay?" he didn't want to order her around. That simply wasn't him. But he'd prefer if she didn't try to fight Uzume every time she saw her. Besides, he didn't know if Tsukune was truly an Ashikabi yet.

"Okay…" she looked at him with such shame and adoration that he found himself feeling guilty for even reprimanding her in the first place. He was surprised at his backbone in the first place." Musubi is going to get dressed now before landlady-san gets mad, okay?"

He nodded and watched her go with a slight skip in her step. He shrugged. He guessed she wasn't that sad after all if she still had that kind of pep in her step. His grey eyes trailed back to his cousin who staring at him patiently, arms crossed with an aura of calmness around him.

"Let's talk."

X~X~x

"So I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that you're Uzume's Sekirei," Minato stated calmly, his arms crossed across his chest as he leaned against the side of the inn. There was no anger or rude accusations. It was understandable.

Tsukune raised his head lightly, his hair spiked in nearly every direction in a rare sign of fatigue and tiredness." Yeah. And you're Musubi-san's, huh?" The older male nodded, allowing silence to be their mediator. The young brunette grunted.

"I wish I could've told you. But with Minaka's rules and all…" he trailed softly." I wasn't sure if I was going to put you in danger or not."

Minato stared at him." I know that but –"he stopped himself. It wouldn't do well to fly off the handle now." I understand. It makes me wonder though."

"Wonder about what…?"

"What are the chances of two average good for nothing Japanese men being involved in a game like this?" Minato asked with bitter amusement." I regret allowing you to come over. I just wanted to help but I end up putting both of us in danger. Not to mention the girls…"

Tsukune's bitter laugh sent shivers down the older male's spine. It was far different than the usual chuckles he was accustomed too. The boy didn't sound right with such dark, mirthless humor. It was unlike the gentle boy he had come to know since they were small children. He had changed, Minato had concluded sadly. The younger man pushed himself off the side of the inn and moved forward near the small gardens that inhabited the backyard. He was troubled.

He shook his head, attempting to clear his head of any negative thoughts. He was starting to have more pessimistic thoughts since his turning and he wasn't pleased." Everything happens for a reason, Minato. But I can't help but agree with you. There was as slight dangerous gleam in those amber orbs of his." The girls deserve better than us. This game is ridiculous."

"Yeah, Musubi deserves better than me. I don't know why she chose me but I plan to cherish her to the best of my ability. It's different, having someone care for you like that, ya know?"

"Better than you think." Tsukune's voice was grim." I want out of this game. Uzume thinks I might end up with more Sekirei and be forced to fight others."

Minato shook his head." I scolded Musubi for that earlier. What kind of person tells someone to slaughter their own race on sight like that? This Minaka guy sounds sick in the head." Both men disliked hurting others. It wasn't in their danger to do so.

"There are sick men like him everywhere, Minato. I'd be careful if I were you."

Minato's eyes lost whatever happiness they had and they narrowed in slight anger." I can take care of myself, Tsukune."

Tsukune closed his eyes. He knew Minato had misinterpreted his warning. They were guys and most attempts of emotional concern were an insult to their abilities, at least in their eyes. Despite being wimpy, both had had their own pride to speak for. Both couldn't stand being viewed upon as weak and useless.

He glared lightly." Don't get snippy me with me. That's not what I meant at all Minato and you know that. I have no doubt that you can protect yourself from another _human_ being. What I'm worried about is Musubi getting terminated and you being killed by another Sekirei."

Minato's eyes softened in apology." Sorry. I'm just tired of everyone thinking I'm worthless. The only person that seems to care now is Musubi-chan. With this whole Sekirei Plan going, I'm starting to get stressed out. The thought of losing her scares me."

"Then don't lose her." Tsukune replied, shocked from what came out of his mouth." Uzume said that Sekirei are beings of love. As long as you provide her with love, she'll become powerful enough to protect the both of you." He sighed, sitting on the grass, allowing the pleasant scent of flowers filling his nose." There's a lot of hate in this world. People like Minaka take advantage of that hate."

Minato sat down beside him." Maybe I'm being selfish, but I don't care about that. All I want is for her not be involved in this stupid game."

"Then get stronger for her sake." Tsukune closed his eyes resting his back against the grass." I told you that at school, most of my friends are girls. You can imagine the attention that drew to me because of it. They used to beat me up a lot."

Minato winced in sympathy.

"Luckily, most of the girls knew how the fight and protected me." Tsukune smiled a bitter smile." It felt nice, knowing that someone was always there to take care of me. But at the same time, I hated it with a passion. The bullies would always come and the girls fought for me."

"It was a blow to your pride." Minato whispered.

Tsukune shook his head." It was worse than that. How could I stand there and let them get hurt because of me? Every bruise, every scar, I'll always blame myself for." Minato's hand rested on his shoulder and he calmed for a moment." It got so bad that the bullies actually made a gang for them and kidnapped one of my friends."

Minato gaped." Where the hell were the teachers? That kind of stuff shouldn't be allowed to happen in a school!" if Tsukune's tone wasn't so honestly sincere, he would've called bullshit. What kind of school did his little cousin go to? Where was the faculty in all of this?

"They didn't know." Tsukune admitted." The gang got the better of them and I didn't find out till later that she was gone. Instead of telling my friends what happened, I went after the gang myself. I couldn't allow them to take one of my precious people away from me."

Minato closed his eyes." What happened then?"

"I found them and nearly died because of it." Minato's sharp gasp let Tsukune all he needed to know on how his cousin felt of his school." The bully beat me into the ground and when my friend tried to help me, she met the same fate. I don't know what happened, but I snapped." It wasn't a lie, but more of a veiled truth." I woke up in the hospital to find out that the bullies that attacked me were dealt with and I was a part of it."

Minato gave his cousin a once over." Does Kasumi-Obasan know about this?" he knew the answer the moment his cousin guilty averted his eyes. In a way, he could understand his cousin's hesitancy. He must've loved his friends a lot if he wanted to stay in a hell like that. His aunt would've taken Tsukune out of there in a heartbeat." Don't worry, Tsukune. I won't tell her." he nodded in thanks." But I have to ask, why are you telling me this?"

Tsukune smiled sadly." As long as there is love in this world, there will also be hate." He said quietly." Minaka is taking advantage of the love Sekirei have for their Ashikabi and making Sekirei hate one another. He reminds me of the bullies at my school. What will we do when Uzume-chan and Musubi-san are not there to protect us, Minato? I can't allow what happened at my school to repeat here." He stood up, motioning to go back to the inn." I don't need you ending up like me."

"Wait, Tsukune." Minato called, stopping the young man in his tracks. His words had intrigued him greatly and gave him much to think about. But that wasn't why he prevented him from leaving." When I touched that tree over there earlier, I saw a small child."

Tsukune froze. Such an unnatural event wouldn't be uncommon in the monster world. Surely Yokai had no part in this?" A young child…." He murmured." Do you think it's a Sekirei?"

Minato shrugged." I don't know. I just thought that maybe you should know just in case something happens." His cousin smiled in response and Tsukune stifled any worry in his muscles. If it had been a Yokai, Minato wouldn't have survived. He'd have to keep an eye on his cousin for the time being. Musubi couldn't protect him from everything and he knew there were Yokai out there that could give her a run for her money.

"You've given me something to think about, Minato." Tsukune whispered." Let's get ready for dinner before Miya has our heads on a platter."

Minato nodded." Right,"

As the nineteen year old rōnin watched his younger cousin of two years head back into the inn, he allowed the worry he had hidden make itself known. His cousin was never like this. Sure he was gentle and playful at times and even had his angst moments, but he was never this stoic. He almost reconsidered not telling Kasumi was he had learned from Tsukune. He made a promise however, and he didn't break them, no matter how much he disliked carrying them out. He just hoped that whatever issues his cousin had, he would discuss it with him in the future. Everybody needed help.

No one was invincible.


End file.
